Dragons were mythical beasts that had existed since before recorded history and were counted among the most powerful beings in this world. They were said to live between thousands and tens of thousands of years and, according to one theory, grew more intelligent as they aged, evolving repeatedly until they reached dragon godhood.
Over the millennia, they changed from lesser to elemental dragons, gaining high intelligence, flight, and immense power. But humans’ fear of dragons didn’t come from the terrifyingly strong elemental dragons—it came from earth dragons, mere infants among dragonkind.
These dragons fed on elemental mana, eventually taking on element affinities of their own. But until that point, earth dragons devoured everything they came across, acting on instinct. And dragons that had tasted humans—who lived in groups, weren’t particularly good at escaping, and had plentiful aether—began to actively attack human settlements due to their low intelligence. They were widely feared as man-eaters.
“Grooooooooooar!”
One such earth dragon emerged from the Ancient Ruins of Reisveil and let out an earthshaking roar.
“Eek!”
“Waaaaah!”
Some of the adventurers shrieked at the sight. Dragon roars had the ability to induce fear in the weak—it was a specialty of their kind. They could terrorize those unfit to stand before them, regardless of rank or skill level.
Those who’d come here had known they might face a dragon. The ones with greater resolve had only trembled, but the younger ones, awestruck by the massive creature, began to panic and disrupt battle lines.
“Beat the panic out of anyone who’s freaking out! If you can’t, cut them down!” Jaysha commanded, loud enough for those who weren’t lost to the dragon’s roar to hear.
Though this would’ve been an unthinkable command in most cases, it was only natural in a land like this, where life came cheap. Veteran adventurers moved immediately to obey, striking to kill and prevent worse damage.
But people hadn’t been the only ones to panic. Alarmed monsters had leaped over the disrupted battle lines and attacked those who had retreated due to injuries, causing significant damage to wounded and healers both.
Jaysha clicked her tongue. “Tch!”
Her mind raced. She’d anticipated the earth dragon would emerge but hadn’t expected their formation to collapse this quickly. Had their barricades not been enough? Had their healers been too slow? They had limited high-grade potions and few sorcerers capable of using light magic, but they should’ve had a solid supply of low-grade potions. So why...?
“Jilgan!!!” Jaysha bellowed. “Get the shelled dragons! We’re going in!”
There was no time to mull it over. She needed to do something now, and her fighter’s spirit took over.
As a last resort against the earth dragon, Jaysha and Jilgan had considered killing it themselves. Still, one or two Rank 4s couldn’t possibly take it down. Therefore, they’d formed a suicide squad of Rank 4s and upper Rank 3s, fully intending to put their own lives on the line.
But the front lines had collapsed faster than anticipated, meaning they were still too far from the dragon. Jaysha realized that, at this rate, they’d be drowned in dragon flames and accomplish nothing; she’d thus opted to ride the shelled dragons—which they’d brought along as pack animals—and charge immediately.
Jaysha’s group had been supporting the vanguard. Without them, the adventurers would take considerable damage. Not only that, the squad headed for the dragon had minimal chances of survival. Nevertheless, the adventurers—who saw Cutlass as their home—grinned fiercely, trembling with anticipation, and steadied their grips on their weapons.
But before they could do anything...
Boooooom!!!
“What the?!” Jilgan shouted as a massive explosion rang out behind them.
Fires rose from the carts of food and medicine parked behind the sorcerers in the rear guard, and arrows flew forth to strike the vulnerable casters in the back.
Jilgan had organized each unit in Jaysha’s place. He’d left combat-capable people in charge of their supplies. How could their rear be under attack?
Realizing something, he lifted his head. “Don’t tell me—”
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Laughter echoed from around the explosion, and over ten shelled dragons carrying riders burst forth from the clouds of smoke and flame. That number accounted for almost every pack animal they’d brought.
The adept riders shot more arrows at the rear guard, then scattered in all directions to flee. From among them, one deliberately changed direction and came close enough for Jaysha and Jilgan to see his face.
“You...!”
“Eat shit, you bastards!” he mocked. “We’re done letting you dwarves and those stinking beasts trample all over us!”
The Krus man was a veteran of the guild—one who had managed to achieve Rank 3 despite not being a dwarf. He’d had a humble attitude, which had kept him in the dwarves’ and beastmen’s good graces, and that had been precisely why he’d been brought along for this mission.
“You were in cahoots with the Reezan!” Jilgan accused him.
“You don’t fucking say!” the man retorted. “Why should we listen to you?! Treating us like crap, making us do all the menial shit, even though we’re every bit as strong as you are! You’re don—”
Clang!
The man lifted his shield just in time to deflect a hand axe that came flying from beside Jilgan, the blow landing with tremendous force despite the distance.
“Sneaky, guildmaster!” he taunted her.
“What the fuck are you people trying to do?!” Jaysha roared. “You think you can go back to town after pulling this shit?!”
The man tossed aside his half-destroyed shield and grinned wickedly despite inwardly breaking into a cold sweat. “I told you, you’re done! The town belongs to the Reezan from here on out! Watch and learn!”
He chanted something, and a beam of darkness shot skyward from his hand. The shrill sounds of flutes—likely from the shadow spell Noise—echoed across the desert.
“Groooooooar!!!” the earth dragon bellowed toward the heavens, halting its advance in response to the noise.
From the dust clouds behind it, ground lizards carrying riders in jet-black clothing emerged. A man in black armor—their leader—raised his equally black spear.
“The demonic army?!” Jaysha yelled, shocked.
Before anyone could process the meaning of those words, the knight pointed his spear at the adventurers. As if on cue, the earth dragon opened its jaws, and a massive ball of fire burst forth from its throat, scorching even the sand itself.
Jaysha shrieked amid the flames. “Aaaaaaaargh!”
Screams rose from all around. Comrades who had once talked together, eaten together, adventured together now fell together in the inferno.
This was the power of the dragon species, the strongest beings in this world. With one breath attack, it had turned elite adventurers to ash.
“Retreeeeeeeeat!”
The scream tore from Jaysha’s throat. She hoped to at least save those who’d survived the blaze. But—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
“What?!”
Bolts from the demons’ crossbows mercilessly plunged into the survivors.
“Stoooooop!!!”
Whoosh!
An enormous bolt flew at the screaming Jaysha.
“Ngaaaaah!”
“Jilgan!”
It pierced straight through Jilgan, who had thrown himself forward to shield her.
“Jaysha!” he shouted. “Fall back! Now!”
Jilgan had also protected her from the flames, suffering severe burns on half his body, and now was blocking spears thrown in their direction with his large frame. He tore one out and flung it at a demon soldier, killing him.
“You’re...pathetic...” Jilgan ground out.
“Jilgan! Jilgan...!” Jaysha cried out.
She caught Jilgan’s body as he fell, his blood staining the burnished sand, and realized he was gone. Gritting her teeth in a ferocious snarl, she gripped Jilgan’s halberd and pushed herself to her feet.
“I haven’t...lost...yet! Come at me, you bastards!!!”