🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 64
Dragon’s Breath
I had been curious how this trial would end, and now my question was answered.
A dragon is appearing.
Judging from the current situation, it was almost certain.
I wasn’t entirely sure that the “Great Being” was a “Dragon,” but the circumstances made it highly likely.
After all, this trial was meant to acquire a dragon’s power. To call it an “absolute being,” it should be at least a dragon, shouldn’t it?
“Anyway, the immediate problem is to survive for two more hours.”
Tuwakuaaaaaaang─────!!
Muttering, I fired another “One Punch” forward.
“Ugh!”
“Ahh!”
As expected, the “One Punch” was powerful enough even against the enhanced enemy forces.
Its destructive power was overwhelming.
This wasn’t something that could be stopped just by a simple buff.
The problem was…
Kukwaaaaa─
Kwang!
The magic cannons—they were useless.
I had thought it was a shame, but since I couldn’t cover the entire battlefield alone, I had left them be.
But now, the situation had changed.
“Keldric, stop operating the magic cannons and give me all the batteries.”
“What? But Yujin, alone…”
“You said there weren’t many batteries left anyway. Two hours will be too long for me to handle alone.”
“…Understood.”
Following Keldric’s instructions, all the remaining magic batteries were handed over to me.
For now, this is the best option.
It was clear that the best I could do right now was to fire “One Punch” as much as possible for the next two hours.
That alone wouldn’t guarantee victory, though.
My side of the wall was fine, but with the magic cannons offline, the enemy’s firepower elsewhere had dropped significantly.
If any section of the wall was breached, the battle would become twice as difficult.
Still.
“Brave dwarves, do not retreat! Protect our stronghold!”
“Vulkano Viktora──!!”
“Vulkano Viktora──!!”
Seeing the rampaging Dwarf King made me feel like this was doable.
A monster.
When the Dwarf King first appeared, many thoughts ran through my mind.
Why is he just now showing up?
Is he alone?
Is he strong?
But what can he do?
The king himself at the frontlines?
We need to keep the Dwarf King alive—this seems even more dangerous.
Most importantly, the direct goal of this trial was the Dwarf King’s survival.
It would be problematic if he stepped forward unnecessarily and got into danger.
But it turned out to be a needless worry.
“Die, minions!”
Standing three meters tall, the Dwarf King’s combat power was immense.
He swung his massive twin-handed hammer with ease, radiating near-insane force.
Kwang! Kkrajik! Kkadeuk!
Every swing crushed two or three humans instantly.
It wasn’t just skill—it was the hammer itself.
Enemies struck by it melted as if exposed to extreme heat.
How good is that equipment?
I suspected the hammer’s special properties were responsible.
His armor reflected attacks with lightning.
The King was truly a king.
The level of his equipment was in a completely different league.
Moreover.
“Vulkano Viktora──!!”
Every time he roared, the morale of nearby dwarves soared.
It wasn’t just morale.
It seemed like a proper AoE buff—dwarves became incredibly agile.
Its effects were soon confirmed.
When the Dwarf King roared near me:
“Vulkano Viktora──!!”
Ding!
[You have heard the Dwarves’ Victory Roar.]
[You are not of the Dwarf race.]
[Effectiveness reduced by 50%.]
[Physical stats increased by 50%!]
A sudden, powerful buff.
Even with the racial penalty halving its effect, my physical stats surged by 50%.
Then the dwarves must have gotten 100%? Crazy.
It surpassed the large-scale holy magic “Titanic Bless” used by the enemy, at least stat-wise.
Thanks to the inflated stats, the dwarves held off the human forces.
I also used the boosted stats to fire “One Punch” even more powerfully.
Tuwakuaaaaaaang───────!!!
The Dwarf King approached me.
“I owe you one.”
“No, not at all.”
“I’ll repay you after the battle. Just a little longer.”
“Thank you.”
We didn’t talk much.
There was no time, nor need.
The battlefield was urgent, and one promise of proper reward was enough.
The power is guaranteed anyway…
There would surely be other ways to claim additional rewards.
Before the trial, there were rewards marked as ??? in the Tenauges system.
Probably, those could give additional benefits.
After the brief conversation with the Dwarf King, I resumed spreading “One Punch” wherever we were being pushed back.
The Dwarf King moved around as well, resolving difficult situations.
He was both a buffer and a warrior—top-tier in both roles.
He could single-handedly change the tide of battle.
But.
These enemies are endless.
The enemy was formidable.
Wave after wave, seemingly unending.
And they weren’t weak individually.
Thanks to the walls, we managed to hold them, but it was tough.
Moreover.
“Yujin, danger─!!”
“!?”
I barely blocked a sword strike from midair.
Looking closer, I noticed a subtle distortion in a certain position.
An assassin?
It was one of the enemies’ assassins.
Of course.
Currently, the two strongest forces on our side were the Dwarf King and me.
Taking out either would make controlling the battlefield easy.
It was a rational decision for the enemy.
Sssssk—
The assassin revealed himself, realizing stealth was useless.
Gray tights, a short sword in hand.
He swung at me.
And I.
Tuwakuaaaaaaang───────!!!!
I just fired “One Punch.”
“Argh, what a waste.”
I should have killed at least a hundred in one blow.
The assassin reduced my efficiency, but at least I survived the threat.
Wait.
I glanced at the Dwarf King, worried about his safety.
“….”
No need to worry.
He was strong—very strong.
Could he even be killed?
The trial’s failure condition was the Dwarf King’s death.
Could he die? Maybe if the army lost and was overwhelmed by 100,000 troops.
It was just his sheer presence that made him so formidable.
“Next.”
“Y-Yujin, there are no magic batteries left.”
“Hoo.”
No batteries left. “One Punch” was effectively sealed.
I checked the Tenauges system.
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 28 minutes]
I had survived an hour and a half without major crises.
Only 28 minutes remained.
I gripped the Everfrost Sword.
Nothing left. I had to rely on my own strength.
“Keldric.”
“Uh, yes?”
“You fight too.”
“But I…”
“Whatever you were going to say, it’s not the time to worry about that.”
“….”
Keldric had had it easy, managing the magic batteries beside me.
With the battle chaotic, the sub-commanders handled most things.
Still, he had faced less risk than others.
“…Understood.”
He grabbed his hammer resolutely.
No more pathetic appearances from him.
I took position at the edge of the wall with the Everfrost Sword.
“Ugh.”
“Yujin, are you okay!?”
“…I’m fine.”
Momentary dizziness from depleted stamina—but that was it.
“Phew.”
I took a short breath and refocused.
The enemy relentlessly exploited the gap from the absence of “One Punch.”
Thud—
Ladders were placed right in front of me.
Soldiers climbed.
Shreck-!
“Ugh!”
I cut them down one by one.
My body felt like it could collapse, but I couldn’t afford to.
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 21 minutes]
Just hold on a bit longer.
I summoned my aura thread, overflowing with mana.
Slash—slash—
I cut down Gaia’s cultists on the wall.
“Dieeee!”
Attacks came not just from the front but from the sides.
Had the sides been breached?
Briefly, I moved mechanically, slaughtering the enemies.
Skgak-!
If only there were a mage here.
I missed Frill and Yuseol, left outside.
Another AoE caster would have made this much easier.
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 13 minutes]
The gap left by “One Punch” was huge.
Instead of just blocking enemies from climbing, hand-to-hand combat erupted atop the wall.
Half the wall had fallen to the enemy.
“Do not retreat! Fight! Vulkano Viktora──!!”
“Vulkano Viktora──!!”
The Dwarf King fought fiercely, but the momentum of being pushed back was hard to reverse.
“Argh!”
“Damn it!”
Screams of dwarves echoed everywhere.
After six hours of fighting, my mind and body were reaching their limits.
Yet, I still swung my sword.
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 4 minutes 59 seconds]
Time was running out.
At the moment hope flickered—
Zzzeooong──!
“You! You massacred the Goddess’ followers!”
“…….”
Someone appeared, intercepting my aura thread.
Likely a paladin, at least a mid-ranking officer.
“Hiding in the back until now?”
“Heh. Of course. I am favored by the Goddess more than the lower-ranked cultists.”
“….”
No need to speak. I just swung my sword.
Zzzeooong─! Zzzeooaaak─!
It wasn’t easy.
I was exhausted; he was vigorous.
To make matters worse:
“Die, infidels!”
“Kill the traitor human!”
Several mid-ranking paladins surged at me, firing aura threads.
And one…
Aura Blade?
At least 6-star.
If this continued, I would fail the trial.
Without hesitation, I used “Mana Loan.”
Sshwaaaak-!
Mana surged instantly.
The last method to recover massive mana.
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 1 minute 52 seconds]
I stepped back slightly.
“Running away!?”
“Catch him!”
Standing still while surrounded meant death.
I needed time to recover mana.
Three 5-star, one 6-star paladins pursued me.
I’ll endure.
Gritting my teeth, I parried their attacks.
Aura Blade?
I dodged using my body as much as possible.
I even used a 5-star paladin as a shield.
“Move!”
“Ahh! Why…?”
“You rat!”
He boldly cut down an ally. Fearsome.
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 38 seconds]
Sufficient mana accumulated.
Paladins still attacked.
Their numbers had grown.
I clenched my fist.
Thud-!
An unavoidable attack.
I offered my right shoulder.
“Heh heh. Finally, I’ve caught you, villain!”
The paladin laughed with joy.
Fine. Then I…
Extended my left fist.
Straight ahead.
Where six paladins and countless Gaia soldiers crowded.
[Activating Skill: Divine Power – One Punch]
[Mana consumed: 777,899]
Tuwu—kwaaaaaaaaang─────!!
The paladins who sought to end my life… had theirs taken instead.
They didn’t expect I could use it again.
“Phew.”
And.
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 3 seconds]
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 2 seconds]
[Time remaining to complete the objective: 1 second]
Ding!
[You have successfully completed the trial.]
[Calculating pass grade…]
A massive shadow fell across the battlefield.
I looked up.
A reptile larger than most skyscrapers was there.
“…A dragon?”
The overwhelming presence crushed me like a mere insect.
Gooooooooaaaaa─────
Immense mana gathered at the dragon’s mouth.
I stared, dumbfounded.
I wasn’t the only one.
The battle stopped completely.
No one could care about the enemies in front.
From the dragon’s mouth, massive mana erupted.
Krrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuu──────
The energy slammed into the ground.
The remaining tens of thousands of human soldiers…
They vanished.
Is this… the real breath?
