The Fire Dragon King’s Lair
Which active volcano erupted? It is presumed to have been quite large, causing divine disasters such as intense earth tremors and falling fire rain. However, none of those present bothered to even pay attention to such an extent. Needless to say, the reason was that a grander spectacle was unfolding within their field of vision.
“Dogooon!”
The dozens of repeated crimson explosions each far surpassed the power of an eruption. As the Fire Dragon King unleashed his crimson breath, Efil countered with crimson arrows. The perfectly accurate arrows struck true, hitting the breath head-on. The weapons of both sides, having condensed flames to their absolute limit, were causing great explosions, just like before.
It was fortunate that their battlefield was in mid-air. If such crimson flames had detonated on the ground, the volcanoes in this entire region would not have survived unscathed, and a large number of giant craters, resembling those left by meteor strikes, would have been created.
“Nuu, how impudent!”
The Fire Dragon King grumbled, unable to bear the endless cycle of offense and defense. The flames clashed, and both sides showed no signs of fatigue. At first glance, it appeared to be a back-and-forth struggle, but in reality, it was not. In terms of raw firepower, it was likely a match of equals. However, there was a significant difference between Efil and the Fire Dragon King.
“Shh!”
“Gah!”
It was their size. The Fire Dragon King, exceptionally large even among dragons and boasting a colossal body comparable to Boga’s, was simply too immense. In contrast, Efil stood at 154 centimeters, slightly petite even for a woman of her generation. For the Fire Dragon King, this was like threading a needle while it was moving at high speed. Conversely, Efil’s attacks, aimed at a target that was pointlessly large, were beginning to hit the Fire Dragon King, even overcoming the explosions.
(…However, even this only seems to deal a glancing blow.)
The arrows that struck the dragon scales directly exploded, blooming scorching flames on their surface. But the damage from Efil’s flames, which should have possessed high power, was negligible, leaving only slight scorch marks on the crimson dragon scales. Just as Efil possessed the “Fire God’s Blessing,” the Fire Dragon King possessed the power from which it originated. It wasn’t just resistance to fire-based attacks; it seemed to be an ability that was close to nullification.
“It doesn’t hurt!”
The Fire Dragon King spread his wings and closed in on Efil, weaving through the blastwaves. Simultaneously, a roar unique to dragons, capable of making all things shrink, echoed through the volcanic region. However, Efil, who had tamed three Ancient Dragons, did not flinch. Calmly, she unleashed an Extreme Flame Arrow directly into the Fire Dragon King’s wide-open mouth.
“Nuu!”
A blastwave capable of dislocating a jaw erupted. Yet, the Fire Dragon King’s momentum did not stop. With a ferocity that seemed intent on consuming Efil’s flames as well, he lunged forward and bit down on her.
“First, I shall devour this dragon!”
A bite could be evaded by Efil’s quickness. Kicking off the Multi-headed Fire Dragon, which served as her ground, she escaped into the sky from its fangs that could tear through anything. However, the Multi-headed Fire Dragon Efil was riding was not so fortunate, its long body easily torn asunder.
“Multi-flame Birds.”
As Efil muttered, the embers of the Multi-headed Fire Dragon’s remains transformed into firebirds one after another. In the brief moment of vulnerability after the attack, hundreds of firebirds swarmed the Fire Dragon King. The attacking firebirds also served as a blindfold, and the Fire Dragon King lost sight of Efil at this point.
“How utterly audacious!”
“Shh!”
Efil was directly beneath the Fire Dragon King. After evading the attack, she fired a barrage of arrows from an inverted position, hitting the Fire Dragon King’s lower jaw. Even if the explosion itself wasn’t effective, the impact was enough to force its head and neck to angle sharply upwards.
(Even piercing the mouth or thin parts of the scales with an Extreme Flame Arrow yields almost the same result, doesn’t it…)
This barrage also failed to inflict a fatal wound on the Fire Dragon King. It swung its powerful tail, and the surrounding firebirds were swept away in an instant. The Fire Dragon King returned its neck to its original position with a snap, its expression devoid of any panic.
“Hmph! It seems you still don’t understand that it’s ineffective. Your flames are indeed formidable. However, no matter how you struggle, they won’t work against me!”
“That might be so. I have experienced that power on a daily basis, but never has it felt as threatening as it does today.”
“Daily basis? What are you saying?”
“Ah, that’s just me talking to myself. Please don’t mind it. More importantly, may I offer a bit of rebuttal from my side?”
Efil’s expression was as devoid of panic as the Fire Dragon King’s. Creating a new Multi-headed Fire Dragon at her feet, Efil looked up at the Fire Dragon King and spoke.
“Tenderizing meat before grilling is a basic cooking technique. A moderate amount of stimulation will break down the fibers even through the dragon scales, making it tender, and even cheap meat delicious. However, over-tenderizing makes the flavor escape. This preparation should be sufficient.”
The crimson flame emanating from the Fire God’s Bow began to change to blue. Simultaneously, a change occurred in the Multi-headed Fire Dragon at her feet. Its single head split into eight, and the burning flames also turned a beautiful sky blue.
“Multi-headed Extreme Blue Fire Dragon, all eight heads unlocked. Entering the heating process now.”
“—Interesting!?”
The Fire Dragon King’s words faltered as he felt a sudden pain in his right eye.
“It seems you tend to get caught up in the immediate spectacle. That’s why you don’t notice subtle changes.”
In Efil’s hand was not the Fire God’s Bow, but the Hidden Bow, Merciless. What she had just done was similar to the blinding tactic used with the Multi-flame Birds earlier. By highlighting the transforming Multi-headed Extreme Blue Fire Dragon before him, she had fired an arrow with a stealth effect to reach its mark within that opening, using the Hidden Bow, Merciless. The Fire Dragon King had fallen precisely into this trap, his right eye struck by three arrows.
“…Ku, kuha, kuhahahaha! I see, it was I who wasn’t on the stage of battle. When was the last time I sustained a wound? How long has it been since I’ve felt this exhilarating rush? Very well. Woman, I acknowledge you not as prey, but as a clear enemy.”
As the Fire Dragon King, bleeding from his closed right eyelid, declared this, the atmosphere of the surrounding volcanoes shifted dramatically. The active volcanoes, which had been erupting intermittently until moments before, fell silent as if all the previous eruptions were a lie, and a stillness descended upon the area. It was like the calm before a storm.
“Consider it an honor. To witness this form.”
A chorus of eruptions began all at once. Superheated magma, rising through magma channels and erupting from craters, was drawn towards the Fire Dragon King as if by magnetic force, gradually merging with him. An especially large amount of magma was supplied from the giant volcano, said to be the Fire Dragon King’s lair, and condensed behind him. The halo, resembling a sun, that was created bore a striking resemblance to what Delamis’s former Light Dragon King Murumuru had wielded. That was not all. The magma sent from each volcano granted the Fire Dragon King scorching claws, wings, tail, and fangs, giving him an appearance different from before. A white-hot flame blazed from his wounded right eye, burning intensely.
“This is my true—”
“My apologies. That’s too long.”
Efil, who disliked wasting time on cooking, unleashed her attack. One of the Multi-headed Extreme Blue Fire Dragons blew off the Fire Dragon King’s right arm.
