Chapter 7: Never Bend (vs. Tri-Head Dragon) ①
“Hellgate!“
In response to Pulmy’s call, a door wreathed in flames appeared before them, as if to protect her companions. Towering over her by at least two heads, it was a magnificent sight.
“Activation!“
Following her powerful voice, the door expanded in size, surpassing even the massive energy orb unleashed by the Tri-Head Dragon. At the same moment, one of her rings shattered with a sharp crack and vanished.
“Hieeeeeeeeeee!!“
A chorus of screams erupted from behind, including Klein’s voice—just as the Tri-Head Dragon’s beam of energy collided with the flaming door, sending dazzling sparks flying in every direction. After a brief moment of equilibrium, a tremendous explosion erupted.
“Guuah!“
Pulmy, closest to the epicenter, was thrown back by the shockwave and slammed violently into the ground. She couldn’t suppress a groan of intense pain. However, her judgment was swift. She quickly downed a Potion and returned to the front lines.
“Is anyone injured?!“
She checked on her comrades’ well-being. Fortunately, thanks to Pulmy’s quick thinking, there were only minor injuries, and no one was in critical condition.
“I’ll draw its attention! Those who can move, bombard it with high-level magic from the rear! Listen up! No half-hearted spells! I want advanced magic! Release it as soon as the incantation is complete!“
Pulmy had already confirmed that any intermediate or lower-level magic would be absorbed into the Tri-Head Dragon’s liquid body, rendering it ineffective. No matter how many times they cast such spells, they wouldn’t inflict any damage.
“Hah!“
Klein and Shizuku responded to her command. Once Pulmy confirmed their compliance—
“Grave Mine!“
With her extremely brief incantation, a multitude of blue flames, each the size of a fist, erupted around her. They were strategically placed not only around her but also along the line connecting her to the Tri-Head Dragon.
While focusing on the battle, Pulmy reflected on her knowledge of the Tri-Head Dragon. A few years ago, a modified Earth Dragon had been discovered, created by some fool. It had three heads and, despite its sluggishness, boasted an incredibly tough exterior and exceptional earth magic abilities, resulting in numerous casualties. Ultimately, it was said to have been defeated by a Holy Knight and his disciple, but it remained a formidable monster. That monster was known as the Tri-Head Dragon, and it was still a source of fear.
“But this is…“
As Pulmy murmured, she drew her sword—Demon Sword Nidhogg.
“Invoke!“
In response to her call, the Demon Sword shimmered with a blue glow. The Demon Sword Nidhogg obeyed its wielder by absorbing her Mana. Pulmy confirmed that the sword had absorbed a sufficient amount of Mana and swung it from over thirty meters away.
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaah!“
It was a sound akin to a roar, but different—it was a scream. The Tri-Head Dragon was struck diagonally, its massive body shifting as it eventually crashed to the ground with a thud.
“Waaaaaaah!“
Cheers erupted from behind her. “As expected of Lady Pulmy!” “You’re the best, big sister!” “Oh, Lady Pulmy!” Various voices filled the air with joy, but Pulmy’s expression remained stern.
With a loud splash, the severed body began to move. The two halves touched and, in the blink of an eye, transformed back into their original form.
“I figured as much. It wouldn’t be that easy.“
Nodding to herself, Pulmy distanced herself further from the Tri-Head Dragon and swung the Demon Sword with wild abandon. The sword, capable of slicing from a distance, revealed its true nature as a whip of light that far exceeded the sword’s range.
The tip of the blade, moving faster than sound, followed her will, tracing a luminous arc—this time, it utterly shredded the Tri-Head Dragon into tiny pieces.