Chapter 673: The Falling Sun (1)

The battle between spear and shield.

The results were so one-sided that it seemed obvious that the spear would lose.

"Ugh!"

Baaaaang!

The spear was unable to pierce through the shield.

The white spear that was way too small to pierce through the large shield was flung backward.

'Shit!'

The owner of the spear was naturally pushed back by the force of the impact as well.

One of the soldiers who was watching subconsciously shouted.

"In the end, again-!"

Again.

Would their side be unable to do anything again?

"…H, holy shit!"

The words that came out of the soldier's mouth next were words of astonishment.

The red eyes of the Lion Dragon visible past the shield…

They were not looking at the owner of the spear that had been flung away.

They were looking down underneath them.

"I'm still lively."

The beige-colored Dragon slammed its large body into the shield.

Baaaaaang-

The loud noise was incomparable to the noise from the spear crashing into the shield.

One of the Lion Dragon's arms that had been holding onto the shield reached out and aimed for the Dragon's body.

There were claws as sharp as eagle claws at the tip of this front paw.

Slaaash!

It had all happened in an instant.

The sharp claws sliced through Mila's beige-colored scales.

"Mila-nim!"

Alberu shouted her name in shock.

He sounded confused.

"Why did you just let the attack-"

Why had she just let the attack hit her?

Alberu was sure that he saw Mila peeking toward the claw as if she had noticed it attacking.

But Mila did not dodge or block, despite knowing that an attack was coming.

"Let's do it one more time. Hold on tight."

She just used her body and her front paws to charge against the Lion Dragon again.

"Ugh!"

Alberu urgently lowered his body and stuck tightly to the Dragon's back in order to not fall off.

He had a thought on his mind as he held on.

'She's quite reckless.'

Magic?

Weapons?

Mila did not use any of those.

She just used her body, her large body, to slam into the Lion Dragon without stopping.

Dragons were said to be the magic race.

Even ancient Dragon Eruhaben had mana around him as he fought in his Dragon form, fitting the name of the magic race.

However, Mila didn't even have any mana around her.

It made Alberu realize another fact.

Dragons were said to be the greatest race in the world.

That name was not given to them simply for their magic.

The unique physical trait they were born with… That alone was enough to make them strong. Mila's battle was thoroughly proving that that was the case.

It was an extremely reckless attack, so reckless how she did not even seem to be thinking about defending or retreating, that it could almost be called idiotic.

But maybe because of that…

Baaaang, bang! Bang! Bang!

They heard banging noises almost nonstop.

Even Eruhaben had been unable to attack the Lion Dragon without stopping like this.

'It retreated...!'

The Lion Dragon that was floating in the air…

Alberu actually saw the monster take one step back.

But the expression on Alberu's face was not one of joy.

Chhhhhhhhh! Chhhhhhhh-!

The Dragon's scales were getting slashed and ripped with every attack.

On the other hand, the monster Lion Dragon's shield and the scales on its body had no injuries whatsoever.

"Fuck."

Alberu frowned.

'It really isn't a normal monster.'

The monster's claws that were ripping a Dragon's scales…

The monster's scales that resembled Dragon scales but were sturdier and looked as if no attacks could get through them…

The Lion Dragon was too strong to just say that it was strong because it was an 'unranked monster.'

However, the weirdness behind how strong it was could be explained once the fact that it was the last gatekeeper of the sealed god's temple was added on.

Baaaaang!

"Are you okay, Mila-nim?"

Alberu couldn't help but ask Mila after she crashed into the shield once more.

Was she okay?

Was she okay to keep fighting like this despite all of the injuries she was getting?

Alberu looked down for a moment.

He could see the ancient Dragon's large body that was lying there as if he was dead.

'Eruhaben-nim is not in danger of dying, but his condition is still not good at all.'

But Mila was about to end up in a bad condition as well?

He didn't even want to imagine that scenario.

"Mila-nim, you must go according to the plan."

There was a plan behind their attack this time.

'Your highness. Please fight not too strong but make it look fierce. The Lion Dragon should determine that there are no dangerous individuals around and stop attacking once Rasheel, Mila-nim, or possibly both Dragons escape. You just need to pretend as if you received a strong attack and got injured right around the same time.'

They just needed to make their attacks look strong.

However, Alberu thought that Mila was not following their plan. Alberu was barely holding on at her intense attacks that were relentlessly hitting the Lion Dragon without stopping.

"Mila-nim, you don't need to-"

He heard Mila's voice at that moment.

"Crown prince, you can't see it?"

Her voice was calmer than he had expected. Alberu flinched after hearing this calm voice that he wondered if Mila really was the one launching such intense attacks.

'Can't see it? See what?'

He looked around once more. The Lion Dragon and Mila were in a fierce battle.

And-

'Is he laughing?'

He was now looking at Rasheel, who was standing on the Dragon half-blood's back.

Rasheel was just watching him.

He thought it might be because there was no opening in this intense battle, but that was not it.

Rasheel's shoulders were moving slightly up and down. His face was covered by his helmet, but the way his shoulders were moving definitely made it seem as if he was laughing.

'Did he go crazy?'

Had this Dragon gone crazy?

He had that thought because it really was a possibility with this Dragon, but… Alberu noticed where Rasheel was looking and realized something.

"Ah."

Chhhhhhhhhhhh-

Mila's scales were ripped once again.

"…Blood-"

But she was not bleeding.

And for some odd reason, the number of injuries on her body was not increasing.

Alberu finally noticed the faint beige-colored mana on top of Mila's injury.

'…Connect Together!'

Mila's attribute, 'Connect Together.'

He immediately thought about this Dragon's attribute that Cale happened to mention to him. It was unable to put together something that was broken, but it was able to connect together things that were ripped or cracked.

Alberu held back a gasp.

'Fighting like this was the best option for this Dragon!'

He heard Mila's low voice at that moment.

"I am probably the only Dragon who trained their strength and endurance."

Mila had continued to train her body that had been strong since birth.

It was the result of determining the most efficient way of using her attribute.

"As long as I don't get tired… I can keep slamming into this."

Dragon scales were strong enough that it was rare for an attack to reach her bones.

That was why Mila, as someone who could endlessly heal the injuries to her scales, was not someone an opponent could take lightly.

The corners of her lips gently curled up.

Every opponent who had looked down on her attribute and thought that she would be an easy opponent always became tired before she got tired.

This power that allowed her to never fall from fatigue before her opponents…

"It is extremely scary."

It was at that moment.

"So scary."

The voice sounded both amused and almost disgusted. Mila could see Rasheel in his black helmet slashing his sword toward the monster's side as she heard that voice that was full of multiple emotions.

"Kekeke."

Rasheel was unable to hold back his laughter.

He had to pretend to be Choi Han, but the others were far enough that they shouldn't be able to recognize that this wasn't Choi Han's voice.

He did not hide his laugh that was coming out of his mouth.

'This old fart's attribute is funnier than I thought!'

Rasheel's fingertips were getting antsy as he watched Mila fight.

It was a funny attribute.

It was so funny that it was scary.

It was such a great attribute for a Dragon like Rasheel who had trained in Martial Arts.

That was why he couldn't hold back and had no choice but to charge toward this monster bastard.

The sword Choi Han lent him slashed toward the monster.

Baaaaaaaaaang!

"Ugh, uuuuugh! It won't even defend? Kekeke!"

The sword slammed into the monster's side.

But the monster received no injury at all.

It was because aura, magic, attribute… Nothing was imbued in the sword.

"Tsk."

Rasheel clicked his tongue.

He needed to pretend to be Choi Han.

The biggest restriction from that was that Rasheel could not channel his mana. The White Star might see his grey mana or his 'Indomitability' attribute and realize they were tricking him.

At that moment…

"Dodge!"

Rasheel looked away from the sword after hearing Alberu's shout.

The monster's paw that had been slashing at Mila's scales was quickly moving as if to clench Rasheel tightly.

Baaaaaang!

Rasheel's mouth opened.

"Oh. You don't need to save me."

The Dragon half-blood's bone claw blocked the Lion Dragon's paw.

"Fuck. Do it properly."

"I don't think that's something a bag of bones like you should be saying to a great being like me."

The Dragon half-blood became extremely annoyed by Rasheel's joking tone.

'This bastard has no idea how strong this monster is...!'

As one of the few people who had seen Eruhaben's battle against the Lion Dragon up close, the Dragon half-blood knew that the Lion Dragon has magic or some other kind of special power that it has not used yet. It also knew the physical strength of the Lion Dragon better than anybody else here.

Eruhaben was pretending to be dead, but he could only buy them time earlier despite using his attribute, magic, and physical body together.

"This is no laughing matter-"

"I'm quite serious right now."

"What?"

The Dragon half-blood turned to look at his shoulder. He could see Rasheel's face underneath the helmet.

'Mm!'

Inside the black helmet… Rasheel's face was drenched in sweat.

"You see, I…"

Rasheel whispered to the Dragon half-blood as if he was mumbling.

"My attribute is something that makes me stronger the more unfavorable the fighting environment is for me."

That was what made this 'Indomitability' attribute strong.

It meshed well with Rasheel's personality.

"I can't use that right now. I need to pretend to be Choi Han before retreating."

"…So what?"

"But that attribute keeps trying to activate."

"What?"

Rasheel gulped.

"My attribute is warning me that this current situation is extremely dangerous to the point that I am sweating just suppressing it."

Rasheel's attribute, 'Indomitability' was reacting so strongly to the current situation that it was trying to get past his suppression.

"I'm very much aware."

Rasheel looked toward the Lion Dragon. The monster's red eyes were looking back at him.

Boom. Boom.

His heart was beating fast.

"I know how strong this monster son of a bitch is. This great being is probably the one who knows its best."

Rasheel would be unable to leave a single scratch on this monster despite using his magic, Martial Arts, and his attribute. That was what his 'Indomitability' was telling him.

'How the hell are we supposed to take down a bastard like this? That punk over there is the only person who can harm this stupid monster?'

Rasheel's eyes headed toward the man in white armor.

"How entertaining."

It was very entertaining.

The Lion Dragon, the Guardian protecting this temple… The only thing that could get this monster to react was ancient Dragon Eruhaben, or the combined attack of two Dragons, Mila, and Rasheel.

However, although these Dragons were able to go up against this monster, they were unable to leave a single scratch on it.

"The world truly is a curious place."

It was truly a fun place to live.

"Shall we go?"

"Of course."

Rasheel and the Dragon half-blood immediately moved.

Mila charged toward the Lion Dragon with her large body at the same time.

Baaaaaaaaaang!

Mila's body slammed into the Lion Dragon.

"Ugh. I won't let it go this time."

Her two front paws grabbed onto the Lion Dragon's shield.

The Lion Dragon's red eyes flashed and turned toward her before it flinched, moved back, and tilted its body to one side.

Baaaaaang!

"Mmph!"

The Dragon half-blood tried to hold back a groan as its sturdy black bones slammed into the Lion Dragon's right side.

"Ugh, I, I got it, but I can probably only hold on for a few seconds...!"

His front paws latched onto the Lion Dragon's remaining hand that had the sharp claws.

The moment these two large beings latched onto the Lion Dragon…

The Lion Dragon saw Rasheel in the black armor.

Rasheel charged toward the Lion Dragon's mane-covered face. Actually, he shot forward like a rocket.

"Kahahaha! If I can't slash it, I just need to pummel it! Let me pummel your face!"

The Lion Dragon and Rasheel…

Choi Han's sword that was in between them… Rasheel did not miss this moment when he was covered on all four sides.

Ooooooong-

The moment grey mana shot up in the sword in Rasheel's hand…

"...."

The Lion Dragon opened its mouth at that moment.

"!!!"

Rasheel's eyes opened wide.

'Holy crap!'

Something red was visible inside the Lion Dragon's mouth.

He felt an extremely strong force, similar to a Dragon's Breath. It was extremely sinister and off-putting.

Rasheel's mouth opened.

"It's too late, you son of a bitch."

Smile.

The moment the corners of his lips curled up…

Rasheel looked forward.

To be more specific, he was looking past the Lion Dragon's shoulder.

"It truly is amusing."

Currently, behind the Lion Dragon…

There was someone the monster had not been paying any attention to because it had considered him to be weak.

The spear in that someone's hand disappeared.

Click.

There was the barrel of a gun pointed toward the Lion Dragon's back instead.

– Alberu Crossman-nim. The preparations are complete. This was the only weapon that could pierce through the Lion Dragon's scales…

– The power has been imbued in the bullet.

The Lion Dragon had eight Dragon wings.

There was a small gap between those wings that revealed the Lion Dragon's back.

The barrel was pointed to that small gap.

A bead of sweat dropped from Alberu Crossman's forehead.

Taerang's voice echoed in Alberu's mind at that moment.

– Please fire.

Alberu's index finger moved.

Tang—!

As the single gunshot echoed through the air above Puzzle City…

As the Lion Dragon flinched and urgently turned its head back…

Puuk.

The bullet flew past the gap in the wings and dug into the Lion Dragon's scales.

Alberu opened his mouth at that moment.

"Explode."

– Now exploding the bullet.

Baaaaaaaaaang!

The bullet lodged into the monster's back exploded as Mila, the Dragon half-blood, and Rasheel urgently retreated.

It was at that moment.

"Rooooooooooooar—!"

A scream came out of the monster's mouth for the first time.

'It worked...!'

Alberu subconsciously tightened the grip on his gun at that moment.

He then came face to face with it.

"…Danger… must… capture..."

The Lion Dragon mumbled and slowly turned around. Its red eyes turned dark red and gave off an eerie light.

"…Must… kill… danger level beyond classified levels..."

The monster's eyes were only focused on Alberu.

Smirk.

One corner of Alberu's lips twisted up.

"It really works. Should I just take it down?"

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]