The battle between Vihera and the silver-scaled Dragonias did not begin immediately—or rather, it never got the chance to.
For the silver-scaled Dragonias, escaping took priority over fighting Vihera on the spot.
Since it was traveling to establish a new base—a nest for itself—it understood the danger of engaging in combat here.
This accuracy in judgment was precisely what made it a special Dragonias.
If the silver-scaled Dragonias had been one driven by hunger like the others, it would not have considered the future and would have simply lunged at Vihera standing right before it.
To a Dragonias, Vihera was a prime feast with soft flesh.
Given that, the fact that it could ignore such an opponent and choose to disengage was precisely because it was a silver-scaled Dragonias possessing high intelligence.
However, just because the silver-scaled Dragonias decided to withdraw without fighting Vihera, that did not mean she had to comply.
Toward the silver-scaled Dragonias that was trying to flee from her, she was surprised for only a moment before immediately moving to her next action.
As the creature tried to rush right past her, she kicked off the ground, closed the distance in an instant, and unleashed a kick.
Dragonias were slower at running than Centaurs.
But even so, they were still faster than a two-legged human.
Moreover, the silver-scaled Dragonias was what one might call a superior version of the normal Dragonias, and its abilities were naturally higher as well.
That was precisely why, if it ran at full speed, it would likely be faster than Vihera.
However, that was only if it ran over a long distance.
Beyond a certain point, Vihera would not be able to catch up to the silver-scaled Dragonias. She could not—but if it was only a matter of a few meters, catching up was not difficult for her at all.
In the single aspect of explosive power, Vihera surpassed the Dragonias... and the silver-scaled Dragonias as well.
The kick she unleashed after catching up to the silver-scaled Dragonias—which had kicked off the ground to instantly distance itself—sent its silver-scaled body flying with a sharp metallic clang.
"Gyaogyaogayaokaa!"
Even after being sent flying, the silver-scaled Dragonias did not fall to the ground, somehow managing to stay on its feet.
Letting out a sound that could have been a scream or a roar of anger, it glared at Vihera.
It must have fully understood from that single blow that she had no intention whatsoever of letting them escape.
Perhaps judging that it could not advance any further without defeating Vihera, who stood blocking its path, the silver-scaled Dragonias chose to fight rather than flee.
Under normal circumstances, it would not have been strange for it to decide that it didn't need to fight head-on and could simply flee in the direction Vihera wasn't.
But having seen her explosive power just now, it likely judged that even if it tried to move that way, it would be caught easily due to the difference in acceleration.
That was why, in its current situation, it chose not to flee but to face her head-on.
And once the silver-scaled Dragonias chose to fight, the other Dragonias followed suit—setting their sights not on Vihera, but on Rei and Set.
Normally, the Dragonias would have wanted to fight Vihera, with her white, soft flesh.
But with their leader, the silver-scaled Dragonias, fighting Vihera, the only opponents left for them... were Rei and Set.
Rei was small in stature, but Set was different.
Set, with a body exceeding three meters in length, was more than sufficient as a target for the Dragonias to bring down.
It would not have been strange at all for them to want to immediately swarm and devour him.
The fact that they could not sense the overwhelming difference in power between them and Set was probably because they were driven by hunger, and what could be called Dragonias instinct was simply not functioning.
"Gururururuu!"
First strike wins.
As if to say exactly that, Set let out a cry and charged into the swarm of Dragonias.
Naturally, Rei also closed the distance toward the Dragonias, unwilling to lose to Set.
In Rei's hands, along with the Death Scythe he had used when casting magic, the Twilight Spear—which he had drawn at some point without anyone noticing—was also gripped.
Facing off against this single person and single creature were about thirty Dragonias.
Normally... no, by the common sense of this world, it would not have been strange for this to be an overwhelming victory for the Dragonias given the difference in numbers.
But in this case, they had picked the wrong opponents.
It would not have been strange for the Dragonias to know that it was Rei who had used that Flame Magic earlier.
No, even if they didn't know it was specifically Rei, it would not have been strange for them to know it was someone among his group.
Despite that, the Dragonias were driven by hunger and probably could not make that kind of judgment.
That was undoubtedly an advantage for Rei in fighting the Dragonias.
After all, they were attacking without understanding just how powerful the opponent they were striking at truly was.
However, Rei had no intention of using magic like before, either.
That was precisely why he held the Twilight Spear in addition to the Death Scythe.
"Haa!"
With a sharp exhale, Rei closed the distance in one burst.
The Dragonias had their attack timing thrown off by Rei's sudden movement. Sharp claws slashed through empty air where Rei had been—and in the next moment, the creature's torso was cleaved clean in two.
The reptilian lower half and the Lizardman-like upper half were split apart, flying in opposite directions.
Rei's movements did not stop there.
Using the momentum from killing the first Dragonias, he swung the Twilight Spear in a horizontal arc.
Rather than thrusting with the spear, he used the shaft as a blunt weapon for a sweeping blow.
That strike lacked the sheer viciousness of the Death Scythe, but in raw power, it was devastatingly brutal.
It possessed enough force to send multiple Dragonias, each nearly three meters tall, flying all at once.
However, unleashing such a wide swing naturally meant leaving an opening.
Instinctively not missing the gap created by that swing, a Dragonias lunged at him from behind.
Naturally, Rei understood that he was being targeted... but he also understood that dealing with such an opponent would not be difficult for him.
And indeed, the Dragonias that had attacked from behind was sent flying with a kick rather than the weapons in his hands.
Thus, before even a few minutes had passed, every single Dragonias that had attacked Rei had been slain.
"Set doesn't look like he needs any help..."
Set, whose large body was judged to be prime food, had been swarmed by more Dragonias than Rei.
But Set's movements completely toyed with the Dragonias; they were simply not opponents he couldn't handle in this situation.
Fangs, claws, and even body slam tackles meant to stop his movements were all evaded effortlessly.
And yet, each strike from Set's front legs precisely took down the Dragonias one after another.
Doesn't look like he's using skills... well, with this level of opponent and numbers, there's no need.
Having finished his own battle, Rei muttered as he watched Set's fight.
Even without using skills, Set was overwhelming the Dragonias.
As if to declare that the difference in numbers meant nothing in the face of a difference in quality.
That sight was one to which the word "rampage" fit perfectly.
Judging from Set's demeanor, there was absolutely no need for concern.
Having determined that, Rei next turned his gaze to the fight between Vihera and the silver-scaled Dragonias—which, in a sense, could be called the true objective of this ambush.
And yet, what unfolded there was an unexpected sight for Rei as well.
"Gyogayoyavagatookotao!"
As before, uttering words completely unintelligible to Rei, the silver-scaled Dragonias swung its sharp claws at Vihera.
But that series of movements was clearly slow.
Moreover, there was no particular ingenuity in its strikes; it was simply, to put it another way, attacking indiscriminately.
The silver-scaled Dragonias that Vihera had fought before had possessed strikes that, while less powerful, were at least sharper than her current opponent's, and it had also attacked with consideration for its opponent's movements.
That was precisely why Vihera had been able to enjoy that battle.
And yet, the silver-scaled Dragonias currently fighting Vihera was clearly several levels weaker compared to the previous enemy.
What's going on? ...No, of course there's bound to be individual variation, but isn't the gap too large?
In fact, Rei was not the only one who felt that way.
No—rather, it was Vihera herself, actually fighting the enemy, who was feeling irritated by the utter lack of resistance.
"Are you even trying!?"
Dodging the strike swung at her and delivering a counter kick that sent the silver-scaled Dragonias flying, Vihera shouted with a voice tinged with irritation.
Normally, the very act of being able to kick away a massive three-meter-tall Dragonias would be extraordinary, but the only ones present were Rei's group, the surviving Dragonias were few, and their numbers were being steadily reduced by Set, so there was no one around to be surprised at that abnormality.
That was why the only thing echoing across the battlefield was Vihera's irritation-laced voice.
"Poatejajane!"
The words probably didn't get through, but even so, the silver-scaled Dragonias likely understood that Vihera was mocking it—or more precisely, looking down on it as a weakling.
The silver-scaled Dragonias stood up, its irritation on full display, and lunged at Vihera.
However, its attacks unfortunately had no effect on her whatsoever.
She dodged the attack effortlessly and exhaled a breath of disappointment, as if to say enough already.
"I expected too much. If it had at least been as strong as the silver-scaled Dragonias I fought before, I could have enjoyed it a little more."
Saying that, Vihera stepped forward.
Her demeanor, showing absolutely no caution toward the opponent before her, was clearly that of someone facing an inferior.
Even without a shared language, the silver-scaled Dragonias could understand its opponent's intent from that attitude alone.
Irritated by such an opponent, yet knowing that the other party clearly possessed superior strength, it could not afford to take any careless actions.
Hesitating over what it should do... that hesitation proved fatal.
Before it knew it, Vihera was already right there—directly beside the silver-scaled Dragonias.
Whether it realized that this was the same method she had shown earlier, kicking off the ground to move in an instant, was unclear.
After all, in the next moment, its abdomen was gripped by such intense heat that it could no longer feel any such doubt.
Yes—something that could only be described as heat.
Looking down at its own abdomen to see what had happened, the silver-scaled Dragonias found only a hand touching it—a hand that, compared to its own, could only be described as soft flesh.
Mustering its strength, it swung its arm and knocked the hand away from its abdomen.
The hand was removed... but there was no wound.
The silver scales were not chipped or damaged in any way; they were exactly as they had been.
And yet, despite that being the case, an intense heat and pain radiated from its abdomen... and not only that, as time passed, the heat and pain only intensified... until eventually, the silver-scaled Dragonias collapsed onto the ground right where it stood.
"I wonder what exactly is going on here."
Looking down at the silver-scaled Dragonias that had collapsed and was already convulsing, Vihera muttered.
"It must be individual variation. Or perhaps their specialties are different. The one we fought before excelled in solo combat, but this one doesn't."
"...Then, what do you think it's suited for?"
"Let's see. Thinking about it normally, since it's not strong in solo combat, maybe commanding subordinates in battle... or constructing and managing a base?"
The former aside, in the case of the latter, there was nothing it could have done at a timing like this.
With a sudden ambush, nearly ninety percent of the Dragonias had been killed all at once without even a moment to issue orders.
In that sense, its decision to immediately flee had certainly not been a bad one.
But the moment Rei's group had been the ones to descend upon those survivors... the silver-scaled Dragonias was completely doomed.