Chapter 127

Whirr, whirr, whirr!

I gripped the spear with both hands and steadied myself.

Toxin Mist poured from my body like a waterfall.

– Can’t you just get lost? You bastards aren’t even worth grinding into powder! Just wait! I’ll get rid of that damn dragon and make you pay! Kuaaaa!

The Great Demon Dragon thrashed and roared.

But we didn’t care.

We ignored it and kept doing what we needed to do.

‘After all.’

That bastard can’t focus on us.

The moment he does, he’ll suffer the same fate Aranvalon did earlier.

He’ll leave an opening and take a barrage of attacks.

“Hoon!”

Olena rushed over and held out her palm.

Po-rorok!

The droplets she conjured seeped into the dragon’s wounds.

“This will act as a kind of detonator!”

She looked at me.

“Since it’s entering through the skin, liquid works better than gas. The poisonous water mixed with the Toxin Mist you extracted will seep directly into its bloodstream.”

“Oh, really? Thanks.”

I nodded.

If the mage says so, it must be true.

It made sense, at least somewhat.

“You’re welcome.”

Someone approached behind Olena as she winked.

“Team leader!”

A middle-aged German man with a sword—Maximilian—ran up.

“Yes, Max. What is it?”

“Could I use the wound you opened for a moment?”

“Here?”

I glanced around.

Clang! Clang!

Zhang Wei, Sunny, Eldrin—everyone was attacking the Great Demon Dragon.

But none of them could pierce its thick skin.

Even injured, Dragon Skin was still Dragon Skin.

Only a Godslayer-ranked weapon could stab through it.

“Just trust me once, Team leader.”

He stepped closer and reversed his grip on the sword.

Then—

Thwack!

He drove the blade into the wound I’d made.

He shoved it in deep, like pushing a needle through flesh.

“Watch closely. My skills may be humble compared to the rest of the team, but Rankers once envied my unique ability.”

Maximilian closed his eyes and began a chant.

Supreme Fragrant Sword.

Ultimate Technique.

Fourth Sword Technique.

Sword Energy Manifestation. (T/N: What a long ass name lol)

He released the sword hilt.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga!

A popping sound echoed from inside the dragon’s flesh, like popcorn bursting.

The sword moved on its own, tearing and ripping the inner lining.

Kwaruru!

The Toxin Mist flowed more freely through the widened gap.

“Wow, that’s really Sword Energy Manifestation? Incredible!”

I asked, amazed.

Lee Seonah once told me it was so difficult that even Hase Ra, ranked 3rd in the world, had only recently mastered it.

“No way. It’s fake. Fake.”

Maximilian smiled bitterly as he focused.

“…Fake?”

There was such a thing as fake Sword Energy Manifestation?

“Well, if you break it down, that’s what it is. Look at the skill names. Supreme Fragrant Sword. It means ‘a sword aiming for the highest,’ but in my eyes, it’s just a distorted sword art imitating the top. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because it only uses five techniques. Only the Ultimate Techniques — nothing else. It doesn’t have any basic techniques at all. And if those five were normal, I wouldn’t complain. But they’re insane. In order: Sword Qi Manifestation, Sword Aura Pressure Illusion, Divine Sword Union, Sword Energy Manifestation, Mind Sword…”

“Crazy.”

Just hearing the names was frightening.

“It’d be fine if the ability were truly great. But look—the flow of energy’s already cut off.”

He smiled bitterly.

Sure enough, the tearing sounds had stopped.

Barely 30 seconds.

He had already lost his sword after a single use.

‘Still.’

It helped.

Combined with Max widening the wound and Olena’s magic—

The Toxin Mist was penetrating deeper and faster.

– You damn gnats!

The Great Demon Dragon suddenly thrashed violently.

At that moment, its energy shifted.

The murderous intent it had focused on Aranvalon now poured toward us.

– I can’t leave you alone any longer!

Danger.

“Hiss!”

I sucked in a breath as warning bells rang in my head.

I tightened my grip on the Godslayer spear.

‘Even if I take a hit, I’ll turn you into mincemeat!’

A moment later—

The dragon’s yellow eyes flared.

– Die!

A black-patterned magic circle formed in the sky.

Gravity magic—the same kind it used against Aranvalon.

– Be crushed and burst under the weight!

Kuuuuu!

An immense pressure slammed down from all directions.

“Ugh!”

“I—I can’t breathe!”

“Kueueuk!”

Everyone suffered the same fate.

Olena collapsed, scraping at her scales, and even Eldrin—normally steady—froze under the pressure.

“Huuuuh!”

I fell to one knee, unable to endure it.

Wiiiing!

A ringing filled my ears.

– “Get a grip, you bastard!”

The Elder barked inside my head.

– “The fact that he’s targeting you instead of treating you like gnats is a good sign! It means the poison is working! Believe it! That Toxin Mist of yours is monstrous! Just hold on and you can win!”

“…I—I know… that, but… kueuk!”

– “He can’t focus on you for long!”

Boooom!

An explosion rang out, and my body jolted upward from the shock.

Kuaaaa!

I heard the Great Demon Dragon’s roar—pained and furious.

Aranvalon must have hit it again.

“Kueut!”

It still felt like we were dying.

Clench!

I tightened my grip on my spear.

‘Kuaaaa, you coward!’

You still haven’t let go of that double standard? Everything you do is justified, but what others do is cowardly?

– Shut up!

The Great Demon Dragon, which had nearly killed us, went back to fighting Aranvalon.

‘Shrimp.’

Why did a shrimp come to mind?

A poor shrimp whose back splits when two whales collide.

“You bastard! You’re spacing out at a time like this?”

The Elder scolded me.

Damn it.

How did he know?

Ghost perks.

“Focus. It’s better to go inside.”

“What?”

I blinked.

“Go where?”

“Where do you think? Inside the dragon’s body. Through the wound.”

“……?”

As I stared blankly, he continued.

“His energy’s concentrated in his heart. If all you can do is cling to his back, wouldn’t it be easier to stab him in the heart from inside?”

No.

That sounded harder.

“Inside, you’ll at least take less impact! Normally you’d never get close, but now? You can use the Breath or something to approach!”

“Hmm.”

I grimaced, but my legs were already bracing.

Honestly, the Elder was insane.

Go inside the enormous dragon, find its heart, stab it?

How do I get through the ribs?

What about the sticky blood?

No light. No visibility.

No oxygen. No breathable air.

It was like being told to dive into the deep sea without equipment and stab a Kraken.

‘But.’

Ridiculous—

Swish!

That I still raised my spear.

And even crazier—

That part of me thought it wasn’t a bad idea.

‘Actually.’

The Elder had never steered me wrong.

“Vladimir!”

I called for Rodigin.

“Uh, you called, Team leader?”

He raised his staff from afar.

I shouted:

“Can you teleport me to the dragon’s heart?”

Even I knew how insane it sounded.

“……”

Vladimir froze.

“What? You’re saying instead of dying to the dragon, we should just commit suicide together?!”

“No, I’m serious!”

“Are you insane, Team leader?”

“I told you—I’ve been insane for a long time!”

“You son of a—!”

He cursed as he ran over.

The others stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

Vladimir glared.

“You’re not talking about going to its center and stabbing its heart or vitals, are you?”

“Oh, exactly that. Saves me from explaining.”

“You…!”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

For a moment, I truly understood Berserker Jang Daewoong.

Ah, so this is how a lunatic feels when another lunatic praises them.

Po-rororok!

A stream of water wrapped around me.

Olena’s magic.

“It’s a shield! It’ll block the blood and supply oxygen! If you break down H₂O, you get O₂!”

As expected of Olena.

The only one who understood me.

Vladimir gaped.

“Are all of you crazy?”

“Is this the first time Hoon’s done something like this? I gave up the moment he said he was hunting a dragon. People adapt. I adapted.”

“W-well, that’s… fair but—”

He sighed.

“Fine. That’s all good.”

He looked toward the dragon’s center.

“Spatial magic isn’t perfect. If there’s an object where you teleport, things merge or get cut. In this case, probably its bones.”

“I can handle that.”

Capu stepped forward.

“The Clairvoyance gaze ignores obstacles. My skill shows a 10-meter empty space directly below the left side of the center.”

Ooh.

Pathfinder Capu, delivering again.

“R-really?”

Even Vladimir blinked.

“It’s probably because of its size. There are more cavities inside than expected.”

“Ha… damn it. Fine.”

Vladimir raised both hands.

“Let’s do it, you lunatic. Should I send you now?”

“Yes. I’m ready. Worst case, I die.”

I nodded.

The Elder chuckled.

– “You have good companions. A good companion isn’t kind—it’s useful.”

I agreed.

They were good companions.

Good colleagues.

Vladimir chanted, staff glowing.

I tightened my grip on my spear.

Bang! Kwaaaang!

The two dragons clashed overhead.

The gravity magic circle still pressed down on us.

And—

“Hey, Team leader.”

Vladimir opened his eyes.

“Yeah. Ready?”

“Come back alive.”

Whoong!

A force wrapped around me.

Flash!

Light filled my vision.