Chapter 17: The Long Road to the Imperial Capital – 21
Whether the appearance of the dragon was due to my Bad Luck skill or not, we all sprinted at full speed toward the northern gate.
I shouted, “We are A-Rank adventurers! Let us through!” The fleeing townsfolk parted the way for us.
I could indeed see the silhouette of the dragon against the northern sky, appearing as nothing more than a dark shadow, indicating that it was still quite a distance away. It was a relief, as I wanted to engage it outside the city.
Adventurers had already gathered in front of the northern gate, but their expressions were uniformly grim.
The dragon sighted was said to resemble the Dark Flare Dragon we had fought in the dungeon before, but there were rumors that it was even larger.
If that were the case, it could potentially be the Chaos Flare Dragon mentioned earlier. In that scenario, even with a number of B-Rank adventurers, we would stand no chance, and there was a real possibility of total annihilation. Even an A-Rank party would need to work together to face such a calamity.
“We are the A-Rank party, Soul’s Guidance! We will confront the dragon outside the city, so if anything happens, we ask for your support!”
As I called out to the adventurers, they all turned to look at us. Perhaps it was my ordinary appearance, or maybe it was because all my party members were women, but many of the adventurers wore puzzled expressions.
“Have you heard of Soul’s Guidance?”
“No, not around the Imperial Capital.”
“I think there’s a party called that which is said to be heroes in the Kingdom.”
“Heroes? They don’t look like it. Besides, they’re not adventurers from the Kingdom.”
“Still, being A-Rank isn’t a lie. The one next to him is probably the guild’s Grand Master.”
“Seriously? That lady?”
“You’re an idiot. She’s incredibly famous in the Imperial Capital. Plus, she used to be A-Rank herself.”
I could hear their murmurs, but without acknowledging them, Miss Dorozitte approached me.
“Souji-san, I expect to see the power of Soul’s Guidance from here. I will handle this situation, so please focus all your efforts on slaying the dragon.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
I signaled to my party members, and we passed through the city gate and stepped outside. Although I felt a bit uneasy with a mace that wasn’t my usual weapon, my role in dragon battles was primarily as a shield—or rather, a decoy. It shouldn’t be a significant issue.
Ahead of us lay a wide road stretching straight north. A few travelers and merchant carts were fleeing toward the northern gate, leaving the road deserted.
Looking up at the sky, I finally caught a clear view of the massive dragon. Indeed, from the ground, its imposing presence felt amplified by about fifty percent. While we had grown accustomed to it, to the average person, it would appear as an embodiment of destruction and a manifestation of terror.
“Souji-san, that is likely the Chaos Flare Dragon,” Mariane said, echoing my expectations. However, it didn’t change anything at this point.
“It looks weaker than the four-headed dragon we fought in the A-Class dungeon. We should be able to handle it without any issues.”
“I think so too. Just be extremely careful.”
“Thanks. I’ll do my best as always.”
“Souji-sama, shall we aim to take out its wings first?”
“Yes, please do that. Once the dragon stops moving and breathes fire, concentrate your attacks to bring it crashing down. After it falls, the front line will strike.”
I replied to Freinir, and after hearing everyone’s agreement, I stepped forward.
This had become the basic strategy for dragon encounters, but I couldn’t help but chuckle at how it was a method that ordinary parties could never employ.
The majestic monster king, with its perfectly proportioned body, glared down at me from above. Its dark scales, tinged with a hint of blue, resembled metal and exuded a certain beauty.
Estimating its length from neck to tail, it was easily over fifty meters. Its golden eyes and two long, twisted crimson horns only heightened its regal presence. There was no doubt it was a higher species of the Dark Flare Dragon. This had to be the Chaos Flare Dragon.
However, that didn’t change what I needed to do.
“…Well then, shall we begin?”
I activated my Provoke skill to its maximum.
The dragon narrowed its eyes and let out a low growl. It was likely thinking something along the lines of “How dare you, insignificant human.” I recalled that in some games from my previous life, there were dragons that could understand human speech.
The colossal dragon flapped its wings powerfully. I readied my mace, anticipating its breath attack.
Then, with a loud roar, the dragon ascended, performing a backflip in mid-air, and to my surprise, it dove straight toward me with its massive body.
Its gaping maw, lined with sharp fangs, opened wide. Perhaps it intended to swallow a foolish adventurer whole. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I sensed mockery in its golden eyes.
…But honestly, it was I who wanted to laugh.
“Whoaahhh!!!”
Should I block with my shield or strike its side with my mace? I considered my options but ultimately decided against it.
The mockery in those eyes stirred something within me, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.
In an instant, my vision turned red.
I needed to teach this creature a lesson. It had to learn who the true strong one was.
I released my mace and the Immovable Fortress Wall, spreading my arms wide to brace for the dragon’s jaw.
The massive jaws, akin to heavy machinery, aimed to crush my upper body.
However, while its fangs could pierce my skin, they could not penetrate the muscle beneath.
In retaliation, I wrapped my arms around the dragon’s lower jaw.
With the Grasp and Iron Grip skills, my arms were locked in place, showcasing strength that had reached a divine level.
Crunch…!
The king’s jaw, which had aimed to devour me, was instead crushed in an instant by my arms.
Gyaaa!?
Letting out a scream, the foolish king did not retreat.
The Chaos Flare Dragon pressed its overwhelming mass against me, attempting to pin me to the ground, as if to squash the tiny human.
But that was a mistake. If it had simply fled into the sky, it might have lived a little longer.
Though I was pushed down about ten meters, the dragon’s charge finally halted. The power within me always transcended the laws of physics.
I slipped beneath the dragon’s neck, targeting its throat. I wrapped my arms around its massive neck. Of course, I could only reach halfway around, but with my skills, that was more than sufficient.
“Feel it in your body! Know who the true strong one is!!!”
I compressed my arms with all my might. My arms, now akin to a hydraulic press, dug into the dragon’s throat. Even the dragon’s scales, which could deflect swords, arrows, and even magic, could not withstand the immense compressive force I exerted.
Perhaps finally realizing its peril, the dragon thrashed wildly. Yet, the neck I had seized remained as immovable as if it were fixed to the ground.
Its massive body writhed below, causing localized tremors. But my grip never faltered.
With a sickening crack, my arms crushed through scales, flesh, and bone.
Aghya!?
A brief death cry escaped it. The golden eyes rolled back in its head.
With its throat crushed, the dragon’s colossal body quivered… and then it lay still forever.