Chapter 12: The Great Demon Lord Fights the Giant Dragon
I had no idea what had happened, but the giant dragon—which was supposed to remain dormant—suddenly mobilized. Worse, it had recognized me as its enemy. Its gaze held unmistakable hostility.
The reason was unknown, but the situation was clear. If I didn't fight, I'd be reduced to ashes. Even if this battle wasn't in the plan, I had no choice but to proceed according to it.
Standing atop the hill, I glared straight at the giant dragon. I had infinite mana, but my opponent was a mountain-sized monster. A head-on clash was impossible. Still, there were other ways to win.
“Take this! Witness the Great Demon Lord’s—!”
But I was beaten to the punch. The moment I tried to activate my 'Great Demon Lord Thermal Flash,' the dragon opened its massive jaws. A crimson glow welled deep within its throat, ready to be unleashed—like the gates of hell yawning open. The fire that would pour forth would surely be a conflagration fierce enough to burn even the souls of the dead.
This position is bad—terrible! The Dragonfolk village lay directly behind me.
“Over here!”
I immediately launched myself into the sky with Magic, drawing the dragon's line of fire. I soared high, and the dragon tilted its massive head to follow. I hadn’t learned flight directly from Arcelia, but by connecting to the Great Demon Lord’s Castle, I’d grasped the principles of aerial maneuvering. I'd practiced in secret at night—a Final Boss must never be seen putting in effort—and that paid off when it mattered.
The inferno came. The condensed fire burst forth as a blazing beam that shot straight toward me. At that instant, I poured all my power into a Protective Barrier. A single layer was fragile, but by stacking three thousand layers using my infinite mana, I could repel even this hellfire!
“Gghhh—!”
The barriers shattered with terrifying speed. Two thousand layers burned away in an instant, and the remaining thousand collapsed a second later. Gritting my teeth, I poured more mana into the spell, layering two thousand more barriers atop the last to withstand the flame.
The heat was staggering. Even with my resistance, I could feel my outstretched hand charring. The pain and the stench of scorched flesh—painful, yes, but pain is irrelevant. An ordinary man would have fainted, but I am the Great Demon Lord! Suppressing sensation is a given!
After what felt like an eternity, the crimson haze cleared. Even the giant dragon couldn't maintain its breath forever. I had endured. The dragon glared down at me in frustration.
Now it was my turn.
“Great Demon Lord Thermal Flash: Ten-Finger Dance (Dies Storm)!”
I spread my charred hands wide and unleashed ten beams of pure magical light. They shot forth, targeting the dragon's massive wing membranes. Penetration was the key.
《GYYAAARGH!》
A thunderous shriek confirmed my success. The dragon faltered and ceased flapping. Just as planned.
Even my strongest attack struggled to pierce the dragon’s main scales, but the wing membranes, joints, eyes, and mouth were vulnerable. This was Phase One: chipping away at the dragon, even if it lacked the dramatic flair of a Final Boss.
“As I thought—it regenerates.”
The wing membranes were already repairing themselves at a visible speed. Expected. High-level monsters regenerate. But this, too, was accounted for—and my mana is infinite.
I fired the Ten-Finger Dance again. My aim remained the wings. If that thing took to the air, we'd be in trouble. I tore and burned its wings relentlessly. Infinite beams would eventually wear down its recovery ability. In a battle of endurance, I held the advantage.
Even my charred hands were veiled by the 'Illusion Robe,' appearing perfectly normal. If I said it didn't hurt, it didn't hurt. The dragon retaliated, but its long charge-up breath attacks were easy to dodge, and I was safely away from the village.
“—Your Majesty!”
Eagret arrived, deflecting scattered flames with her massive shield as she rushed to my side. Impressive. With her heat resistance, this was no longer a mere contest of endurance—we could go on the offensive.
“Eagret! Proceed as planned! Have you contacted Arcelia!?”
“Yes, Your Majesty! She says she’ll be here shortly! The maid has already started the village evacuation!”
“Good! Then forward!”
I charged with Eagret. Prolonging the standoff lacked a decisive factor. If we could get close enough to remove the Crimson Heart—the source of its power—half of our victory conditions would be met.
“Your Majesty, take this!”
Eagret tossed me a communication device—one of Arcelia’s inventions.
—This is Great Demon Lord’s Castle. I’m already on my way!
The communicator buzzed to life.
“Arcelia! I appreciate the help, but—”
The treatment device for the Ancestral Regression is finished! I’m bringing the entire castle over, so hold out until then!
“Understood!”
Magnificent timing! The resident Mad Scientist had clearly mastered the secret technique of "I anticipated this!"
“Eagret! You heard her! Together, we’ll save the Red Scale King!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
I boosted Eagret's morale by focusing on 'saving' her father. She raised her shield and charged up the mountainside with incredible speed, enduring the magma flow like a raging boar.
Despite the unexpected start, the plan was progressing smoothly. Now, everything depended on Eagret and me neutralizing the dragon. The pressure was heavy, but that was why a Final Boss thrives.
Dodging and deflecting the flames, we reached the rim of the crater, face to face with the giant dragon. Its yellow eyes glared down. Up close, its overwhelming presence was a test of courage.
I am truly excited now! To surpass an existence greater than myself—that is what it means to be a Final Boss!
“............Father.”
Eagret, standing as my vanguard, breathed a sorrowful sigh, yet her resolve was unbroken.
The Crimson Heart—a massive crimson jewel—gleamed upon the dragon’s chest.
I fitted the special breathing mask Eagret had given me—an Alseria-made device. It looked cool. Heroes wear masks, and so do Final Bosses.
“Let’s do this, Eagret. We can win!”
“Yes, Your Majesty—!”
Eagret surged forward. She was the vanguard, and I the rear guard. Just the two of us, but together, we would show this dragon that our power rivaled an army!
Comments
Post a Comment