◇ ◇ ◇
“So, Orun, are you saying there’s a chance the Black Dragon could manifest more than ten mists at once?”
When I voiced my concerns during the strategy meeting for the Black Dragon battle, Selma-san followed up with that question.
“Yeah. I don’t think the possibility is zero. I have an ability that interferes with mana in a similar way, so I can tell. I don't know if the senses of humans and Magic Beasts are identical, but in my case, if I concentrate solely on [Mana Convergence], I can interfere with mana even more than usual. If the strategy we’ve discussed holds together, the fight should be one-sided. If that happens, and assuming the same logic applies to the dragon, it’s entirely plausible it would focus everything on manipulating the mists, regardless of the cost.”
I had fought this boss twice before, and looking through the combat logs of past explorers, there was no record of the Black Dragon ever manifesting more than ten mists.
However, just because there was no precedent didn't mean it was impossible. In fact, declaring it impossible was a risk in itself.
When planning this meticulously, it was better to account for the things we would normally dismiss. If you plan too rigidly, you’re liable to panic and fail to respond when the unexpected occurs.
“A hundred of those things would be a nightmare,” Wil muttered with a wry grin.
“If that happens, Wil’s sword can just gobble them all up!” Lucre chirped.
“Like hell I can! I can’t exactly walk away from the dragon’s front, and even if I could, a hundred is physically impossible.”
“Come on! Use your fighting spirit!”
“Don’t be unreasonable…”
“Ahaha. Well, while a hundred might be an exaggeration, it’s certainly dangerous to assume it’s capped at ten. What should we do if more than ten appear?”
“If I use my ace in the hole, I can use Heavenly Flash to strike a wide area faster than Rain-san’s attack magic. But that magic is still in the experimental phase, so I can't guarantee I'll shoot every single one down.”
“Was it [Alteration]? You showed it to us yesterday, but how does matter turn into mana? I’ve never heard of anything like that,” Rain-san asked.
Come to think of it, I had shown them the moment Schwarzhase transformed into pitch-black mana, but I hadn't explained the mechanics. We had been hit with other business immediately after, so there simply hadn't been time.
“Schwarzhase is made by blending Hide Turtle blood into Black Dragon Scales and Deep Floor ores. I’ll skip the dense theory, but essentially, Schwarzhase undergoes a transformation when it reacts to concentrated mana channeled through the [Alteration] spell formula.”
The Hide Turtle was a turtle-type Magic Beast found throughout the Lower Floors. Its primary trait was its ability to blend into its surroundings by adapting to ambient mana and transforming its body.
In short, I had incorporated that trait into Schwarzhase. While it was usually a masterwork blade, it would adapt to mana channeled through a specific formula and transform into a fluid mass of mana.
“Whoa… I think I get it, but I also don’t. Anyway, that means you can now immediately fire off those Heavenly Flashes that used to take so much time to charge, right?”
“No, firing multiple rounds is out of the question. The total amount of mana is fixed, so I consume a significant amount every time I unleash a Heavenly Flash. Being able to fire it instantly is really just a bonus. The original purpose is—”
As I explained the primary function of [Alteration], Wil stared at me with a blank expression.
“He-Hey, Wil? I’m not exactly an expert on the martial arts mastered by front-line explorers, but… that’s not something just anyone can do, right?” Lucre asked.
“…Of course not. Martial arts aren't so shallow that a guy can just succeed by being greedy. Or so I’d like to say, but having watched Orun’s fighting style this past month, it’s clear he’s not just well-versed in general swordsmanship. It looks like he’s absorbed all sorts of different disciplines. Plus, he can boost his physical abilities to monstrous levels and has that ridiculous [Impact] magic. When you add all that up, I start to think he might actually pull it off. Lucre, don’t go thinking this is normal. This guy is even more of an outlier than I realized. I’m just sincerely, deeply glad he’s on our side.”
They were really talking quite a bit about me while I was standing right here.
I suppose it might feel like an insult to those who dedicated their entire lives to a single martial art, but for me, the priority was winning and surviving. The means and the process were secondary.
“Ahem. We’ve strayed from the topic. If the Black Dragon brings out more than ten mists and they all swarm the front-line, will you two be alright?” Selma-san asked, steering the conversation back.
“No problem for me,” I replied.
“I’m fine too,” Wil added.
“In that case, the question is what to do if they head toward the rearguard. If that happens, I’ll handle it—”
Selma-san began to detail the countermeasure she had devised.
Yeah, with that plan, we should be fine.
◇ ◇ ◇
Countless needles rained down on the three members of the rearguard.
And then—they passed straight through them.
This was Selma-san’s original magic: [Phantom].
Since the start of the engagement, Selma-san had cast the support magic [Hide] on the rearguard to conceal their presence, while simultaneously projecting illusions of the three of them in a completely different location.
In other words, the Black Dragon had been attacking empty air.
“How was our 'panicked' acting? I’d love to hear your review. Did you actually think you’d turned the tables? Too bad! All you’re doing today is sitting still and being our punching bag!”
While the Black Dragon’s attention was fixed on the three illusions, Wil closed the distance. He swung his blade, clad in Chaos Mana, upward in a brutal arc against the dragon’s jaw.
The impact snapped the dragon’s head back. As its neck arched, the beast finally caught sight of me.
I was already positioned directly above it.
“…[Fourth Form: Mont Vier].”
I whispered the command, manipulating the pitch-black mana that had taken the shape of a longsword in my right hand. The mana surged and shifted, lengthening from a sword into a spear.
“I’m glad you’re such a simple-minded beast. I didn't think you'd actually dump your entire capacity into manipulating those mists. Thanks for the opening. This is the end!”
I hurled the spear-shaped Schwarzhase at a specific point.
It was the exact spot Rain-san had been systematically weakening throughout the fight. The scales there were already in tatters.
It was also the area directly protecting the Black Dragon’s heart.
The spear I threw tore through the dragon’s body. It pierced clean through the heart lying in its path and erupted out the other side.
The Black Dragon let out a final, piercing scream before dissolving into black mist.
In its wake, a massive Magic Stone, several scales, and a set of claws remained. Schwarzhase, having returned to its original longsword form, stood thrust into the ground, vibrating slightly as the battle came to a close.
Thank you for reading to the end.
If you found this interesting or want to read more, please support the work by giving it a rating below!
If it was interesting, 5 stars; if it was boring, 1 star—honest impressions are always welcome.
Also, I’d be very happy if you could bookmark the series.
Thank you for your support!