The Scarlet Grand Canyon
“Gyagya!”
“Damn it, I can’t see… Gwah?!”
“Where is it? Where is the enemy!?”
Rion and Alex, having passed the Rock Dragon, advanced while hunting down the remaining Dragon Knights who had escaped Efhil’s barrage of flying arrows. Their speed was, as when they defeated the Stone Golem, not something a normal person could comprehend. The soldiers and dragons who had just met their end likely couldn’t grasp who or what had slain them until their final moments.
“Older Kel, this Black Sword is amazing! I can move it just like my own limbs!”
“I’m glad you like Akrama. More importantly, we’re nearing the location of the enemy’s executive-class members. Don’t let your guard down.”
“I would never be careless in battle. Right, Alex?”
“Woof woof (Someone like that shouldn’t even be allowed near a warrior).”
“Y-you’re right. Carelessness is a bad thing. Yes…”
“?”
As if an old wound had been prodded, Kel’s tone of voice dropped slightly. Oblivious to this, Rion and the others shifted their gaze forward, attacking their next target, the 102nd one. Just as an enemy soldier was about to fall to the ground, a precarious atmosphere was sensed from further ahead. There were no enemy soldiers or dragons in front of them, only a space that opened up like a void, with only the path continuing. A stream of fire was flying from afar. The bright red flames spread across the entire path, resembling a tsunami from purgatory.
“Hmph.”
However, Rion and the others didn’t panic much and evaded the flames using Heavenly Walk and Shadow Movement. They then began running along the canyon walls as if they were the path.
“What… they evaded this!?”
The battalion commander, mounted on a three-headed dragon, was astonished. His plan was that if they couldn’t pinpoint the enemy, they would simply incinerate the entire area. But he never would have imagined they would perform such a feat as running on the walls. His plan had been utterly crushed.
(I thought there was something big further in, but it’s finally appeared. Preparing an area attack using the decoy soldiers was good, but they took too long. Plus, the soldiers inexplicably retreated, which is like giving away that something is up. And is that an Ancient Dragon?)
Rion gazed ahead at a three-headed dragon with horns of distinct red, blue, and yellow hues. It wasn’t as massive as the Rock Dragon, but it was still considerably larger than a normal adult dragon. Apart from the horns, its scales were covered in a hue reminiscent of lapis lazuli, and its body was quadrupedal. Since the dragons ridden by the enemy soldiers had wings, it was assumed this three-headed dragon was also capable of flight.
“It seems we’ve found our target. I’ll be moving soon, so I’m cutting the telepathic link.”
“Un. Later, Older Kel.”
After finishing their conversation with Kel, Rion and Alex transitioned to close combat. Looking behind the three-headed dragon, a force of Dragon Knights, the remnants of the enemy ground troops, were arrayed and waiting. Compared to the beginning of the battle, their numbers had been reduced by about half. There was no retreat, and retreat was forbidden. The faces of the soldiers were all taut with tension.
“Engage, Mudoph!”
“Guooooh!””
As if to dispel such anxieties, the battalion commander loudly declared the next attack. The horns on each of Mudoph’s heads, having received permission, began to glow. As the light converged, a breath attack infused with a mixture of fire, ice, and lightning was unleashed. Towards Rion and the others, who were closing in at super speed, the three-colored breath attack now assaulted them. This colorful breath, possessing power incomparable to the first wave of Fire Dragon’s breath, enveloped not only the path but also the walls, advancing with the intent to swallow everything.
“Follow the Battalion Commander and Mudoph!”
“Attack with the entire front! Leave no gap!”
The Dragon Knights positioned to the rear also began their own breath attacks. The simultaneous release of breath from Mudoph and hundreds of dragons was, quite literally, a wall. Meanwhile, Rion leaped from the wall to the center of the path and summoned Alex from his shadow.
“It’s not impossible to dodge, but this looks like it might reach Goma-chan and the others behind us.”
“Guru? (Want to try?)”
“That thing you’re practicing? Hmm, yeah… I haven’t succeeded with Older Sister Efil’s flames yet, but let’s try it!”
Facing the intensely colored breath attack that was rapidly approaching, Rion and Alex drew their swords as they ran across the ground. Their two jet-black swords and a beautiful yet cruel theatrical sword crossed, and simultaneously, their blades vanished.
“Sky Maw – Scattered Flowers!”
Released from the three-part sword was a slash that mimicked blooming flowers. Unleashed without reservation in front of Rion and the others, it struck back at the dragons’ mixed breath, completely nullifying it. What had been recognized as a wall moments ago had now lost its form.
“Impossible… this is the simultaneous release of breath from a Dragon of the Strongest Species, an Ancient Dragon… Are they truly human?”
“How rude. I am an upstanding human.”
“—! Mudopha—”
The moment the battalion commander spoke, his vision went dark. The next thing he saw were the high walls of the Grand Canyon and the evening sky peeking through. He felt a violent impact on his legs. After a moment, he understood that he had fallen to the ground. As he moved his gaze sideways, he saw the figure of a young girl clad in black.
(Were we toyed with by this girl, who is about my daughter’s age…)
This was far beyond the speed of a Beastman. It bypassed even the perception abilities of an Ancient Dragon, and within an instant, the battalion commander was rendered helpless before them. Mudoph, on which he rode, also seemed incredulous.
The battalion commander tried to move his limbs, but he had no sensation in his body. However, strangely, there was no sense of fear. Perhaps it was Rion’s inherent cheerful disposition that contributed to this.
“I used an electric shock, so you won’t be able to move for a while. You can still talk, though. Um, if possible, I’d like you to surrender. I’ve gotten a good sense of your capabilities.”
Rion smiled cheerfully, a small spark of electricity forming on her index finger, and stood beside him. Seeing that smile made one feel incredibly at ease, but the situation was far from easy. The tip of the Black Sword Akrama was pointed at his neck. It was as if she were saying, “If you refuse, you understand what happens, don’t you?” The Ancient Dragon also made no move to act rashly.
“…Def eating me won’t stop this dragon, will it?”
Hearing the battalion commander’s words, Rion replied apologetically.
“Hmm, that ended just about now too. It’s good that it’s dusk.”
“What did you say?”
*Thump…!*
The next moment, the three-headed dragon Mudoph collapsed powerlessly. Its body was entwined with multiple hand-like shadows, binding it. Moreover, these shadows extended from Mudoph’s own shadow.
“Kueen… Woof woof, woof (I finally caught up… I incapacitated their five senses at the lethal point. Also, just in case, I restrained it with shadows.)”
“Good work! While paralyzing it with electricity was an option, it likely wouldn’t have worked on the Yellow-Horned Dragon. And I had a promise with Older Kel…”
“Woof woof (But with this, the capture is complete.)”
Alex, the giant black wolf, appeared, inserting himself between the Dragon Knights in the rear and Rion. Just like with Rion, the soldiers likely perceived his appearance as sudden. Furthermore, unlike the lovely girl Rion, this time it was Alex, whose appearance exuded the gravitas of an S-Rank Monster. The soldiers and dragons were utterly shocked, falling into a state of terror.
“Mudoph was defeated?! What is that monster!?”
“Retrea t, retreat!”
“We can’t go any further! The Ice Wall!”
“Gyaaa! My arm, my arm is frozen!?”
“You idiot! Don’t unleash your breath attack in such a dense formation!”
The battle was no longer possible. Without Rion and the others doing anything, chaos was already breeding chaos.
“Woof? (What do we do about this?)”
“It seems beyond control… I guess there’s no choice.”
Rion sheathed her Black Sword, grabbed the battalion commander by the scruff of his neck, and lifted him up.
“Wh-what are you doing!?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t take your life. Alex, please step aside, it’s dangerous.”
“That’s definitely not going to be okay—!?”
Rion tossed the protesting battalion commander into the swirling chaos. Then, she focused magic power into both hands.
“Lightning Soak – Electrocution”
*Bash bash bash!*
A flood of electricity was poured into the area where the Dragon Knights were. A-Rank Red Magic, Lightning Soak – Electrocution, was a magic that amplified the numbing effect of Electrocution and widened its area of effect. While ordinary Electrocution allowed for slight movement of the eyes and mouth, Lightning Soak-Electrocution was at a level that caused even consciousness to be lost. It dealt very little direct damage, making it useful for purposes like capture.
“…”
At first glance, it appeared as though a pile of corpses.
“Alright, it’s quiet now! Alex, can you pull the Ancient Dragon and this many people to the fortress using ‘Creeping Thing’?”
“Gaugau, gau (It’s based on my strength, so it’s fine. It’ll be a dragging motion, though.)”
Alex manipulated the shadows of the Dragon Knights, encircling them and immobilizing them as a group, similar to the Ancient Dragon. He then extended his own shadows to each of them and attached them, dragging them along.
“Gauu (The Ancient Dragon wasn’t much either.)”
“Even if it’s three-headed, I usually train with something stronger. My Unique Skill wasn’t even used here. Ah, speaking of which, there’s Older Sister Efil.”
Rion pointed to an eight-headed Fire Dragon that had appeared in the sky above the fortress.
