Chapter 107: The Impoverished Viscount’s Second Son Pursues Her Eyes 8
*
The adventurers tracking the Blackened Jewelhead Dragon at the request of Calbanus, the Guild Master of the Noel Jeun Adventurers Guild…
They looked clearly disappointed when I joined them.
The Jewelhead Dragon’s movement speed was faster than expected, and I only caught up to them at a distance that would take about a day from Noel Jeun Town by carriage.
It had been about five hours since I set out.
The party, composed of four Scout-type Adventurers, had been taking turns resting while continuously tracking the Jewelhead Dragon and were utterly exhausted.
I shared the provisions I brought from town and had a slightly early lunch with them while gathering information.
One adventurer, with a grave expression, said it was heading straight for the City of Hecate, as if drawn to it.
Its movement speed seemed to be gradually increasing, and at this rate, it would likely reach the City of Hecate in less than a day.
Apparently, even now, tracking it without being noticed required pushing their speed to the limit.
Continuing such a perilous pursuit against an opponent that could kill them if noticed would naturally wear them down.
Seeing the adventurer speak with intense eyes, I understood.
“So, what did you guys come here for? Just to bring food? You don’t look like Scout-type Adventurers either.”
We’ve already sent messengers with information about the Dragon to both Hecate and Noel Jeun.
I answered the adventurer who said that.
“I came to defeat the Dragon.”
As I readjusted the Mask I had shifted to eat, one of the adventurers muttered, “Ah, is this a dream? I must be getting tired.”
*
I spotted the Jewelhead Dragon immediately.
Its body, covered in black jewels, stood out starkly against the green of the plains in the sunlight.
I was amazed at the skill of the adventurers from earlier, managing to track it without being noticed in a place like this with nowhere to hide.
By chance, there was a small thicket where we could hide, but without Skills like suppressing my presence, I’d likely be noticed immediately.
“Senior Disciple, too fast. It was hard keeping up.”
Long-distance travel using Physical Enhancement can be quite tough if you’re not used to it.
Elza, catching her breath behind me, complained.
“Personally, the fact that you nonchalantly followed me here is a mystery.”
Besides, you should be used to it. Master will get angry if you’re sweating just from keeping up with my speed.
“I just assumed we were heading in the same direction and left you alone, but…”
Why is she here?
As if my question was conveyed through my gaze, Elza answered.
“Senior Disciple, place of death, strong enemy, looks fun.”
Her concise answer almost made me sigh.
This one is quite the battle maniac too.
“There’s no reward, you know? And don’t think I’ll give you one just because you say it looks fun.”
“It’s fine. Senior Disciple is interesting when fighting an opponent beyond his means.”
Someone help me, my Female Disciple is something else.
I felt disheartened realizing the ‘fun’ part was about me.
But still, having the assistance of “Elza the Impaler” was more than I could ask for.
“If that’s the case, I won’t hold back.”
I check my Pouch and the looseness of my sword belt.
“From here on, it’s full power.”
I said it more to convince myself than to inform Elza.
*
The Blackened Jewelhead Dragon had changed significantly in just half a day.
Its previous form was more like a giant lizard with a dragon’s head than a proper Dragon.
Now, its neck had elongated, and its hind legs had developed significantly, its physique reminiscent more of a cat than a lizard.
Its entire body was a size larger, its torso alone about the length of three carriages; including the tail, it was as large as a small house.
And this colossal Monster was moving at a considerable speed.
Both Monsters and humans conserve speed during long-distance travel.
In other words, this was an opponent not to be underestimated.
I thought this as I landed a blow to its flank as a greeting.
Its head, slightly too large for the thickness of its neck, wobbled greatly.
The Dragon, its entire body covered in black jewel Scales, bared its teeth as if smiling and growled, offering a handshake with its foreleg, brimming with killing intent, in response to my greeting.
Naturally, I refused the handshake.
Without even needing to parry with my Sword, I leaped back to dodge.
A chunk of the plains scattered where my body had been.
From beyond the flying clods of earth, the Dragon glared at me with eyes full of hatred.
Towards those eyes—.
A massive thorn was thrown at a speed that seemed hazy even to my eyes while under Double Physical Enhancement.
With a sound like shattering glass, the thorn pierced the Dragon’s cheek.
By the time the Dragon, its face thrown back, tried to pull out the thorn, it had already vanished.
“Missed. Senior Disciple’s fault.”
The one who threw the thorn stood beside me, saying this.
It was Elza.
“Don’t blame me.”
“Senior Disciple was too fast, I was desperate to keep up. About five times faster than this Female Disciple.”
Wondering what kind of standard that was, I just shrugged.
A counterattack came from the Dragon, which had instantly sealed the hole in its cheek.
Magicka Threads were drawn cleanly, as if to mow down Elza and me.
“Leave it to you.”
Without waiting for my words, Elza exposed her body before those threads.
Elza’s equipment wasn’t much different from mine.
Basically, it was the kind of stuff sold in town; not custom-made, nor using materials that would cost a house if you tried to buy them.
Though monster materials were used, her shirt, the jacket worn over it, and her reinforced trousers might as well be paper before the Dragon’s claws.
Yet, the reason I could say “Leave it to you” was because she was special.
Exceptionally special.
Metallic sounds echoed all around, and the ground shook from the impact.
The Dragon’s claw got entangled and pinned down by the iron cage Elza created.
Yes, Elza Arsenal, also known as “Elza the Impaler,” is an embodiment of the miracle known as Material Creation Magic.
Her subject is iron.
To be precise, it’s an absurd magic that allows her to freely create anything she considers iron.
Though magic is said to be an imitation of a Divine Technique, going that far is just too absurd.
But Elza is the one who accomplishes it. She is “Elza the Impaler.”
The iron, seemingly grasping Elza’s will, entwined around the Dragon’s claw like ivy and pierced it like thorns, preventing it from pulling free as it tried to withdraw.
I didn’t know how deep the legs of the cage piercing the ground were rooted, but I felt the ground shake vertically as I ran.
Unlike before, even its forelegs were thicker than my torso.
But it wasn’t a problem.
I ran through, carefully controlling the intensity of my Physical Enhancement.
The Dragon, its arm severed mid-limb, recoiled from its own momentum and roared in pain.
“That’s one arm down, for starters.”
As I said that, returning to Elza’s side.
“Correction, ten times faster than this Female Disciple.”
Elza said this while shredding the Dragon’s trapped arm using iron that had infiltrated it from within.
“At least let me win against my Female Disciple in speed.”
Elza shook her head as she made the remnants of the iron cage, now stained with Dragon blood, disappear.
Incidentally, while her Material Creation Magic has absurd performance, it’s not quite as absurd as Erica’s Water Creation Magic.
This is because once the Magicka supply stops, the magic as a phenomenon returns to nothing.
You can understand just how amazing Water Creation Magic is, which can produce water that is drinkable and can even grow plants.
In other words, Erica, who can accomplish that as a human, is amazing. Goodbye, vocabulary.
“Senior Disciple has transcended humanity. I wanted to see the moment it happened.”
She has her own way of stealing people’s vocabulary.
Thinking that, I deflected the Dragon’s claw.
The Scales on its newly grown foreleg gave off a slimy gleam.
“Now then, Female Disciple. Elza-san.”
I said while deflecting the Dragon’s claws, which struck repeatedly within a single breath.
“It’s time for a fun, fun Endurance Run, isn’t it?”