Chapter 82

Hastily looking around, our eyes landed on a breathtaking sight - a green dragon guarding the treasure tree. Its presence was daunting, emanating a certain kind of pressure that sent shivers down our spines.

The monster noticed our intrusion and slowly stood up, fixing its draconic gaze upon me. It felt as though time stood still for a brief moment, as if a connection was forming between us.

However, that connection soon turned into a compulsion, compelling me to subdue or even kill this being that ranked lower than me in the draconic hierarchy.

Uncertainty filled my mind. Could this creature be a mere imitation or a fake dungeon copy? Or perhaps, a dragon soul trapped in this eternal dungeon? I couldn't discern the truth, but one thing was clear - we had to eliminate it if we desired the treasure hidden within its grasp.

'Might the Xenos green dragon be different?' I pondered silently, preparing to enter battle mode. Green dragons were known for being equal to a level 4 adventurer, and we needed to exercise caution if we wanted to emerge from this confrontation unscathed.

A treasure tree, after all, held an array of unique materials and rare gems, making it a rare find.

Normally, I would have chosen to retreat, but an inexplicable force compelled me to conquer this creature. The potential Valis and excelia we could obtain from this endeavour were simply too enticing to pass up.

"Get ready for battle!" Kaguya shouted, breaking through. As she snapped out of her surprise caused by the dragon's roar.

Without wasting another moment, the green dragon charged toward us, its jaws wide open in a menacing display. However, as it drew closer, I noticed it inexplicably slowed down. Wonder filled my mind as I tried to comprehend its intent.

We skillfully evaded its charge, yet the green dragon swiftly redirected its focus toward me. Was I seen as the weakest or a potential threat, I wondered. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter - I only felt a stronger urge to crush this lower life form before me.

Taking flight, I soared into the air, eluding the dragon's second charge effortlessly. Frustration radiated from the green dragon, evident in its raging roars and challenging postures.

Although it resembled a regular green dragon, displaying no signs of enhanced status or irregularity, I couldn't help but notice the faint traces of intelligence it demonstrated.

"No matter. Challenge accepted!" I bellowed, determination fueling my words. "Leave it to me; just loot the tree!" I shouted to the Astraea familia.

Originally, I had planned to face the Goliath once again, further enhancing my stats which seemed close to reaching another limit. However, this battle against the green dragon presented itself as a far more exhilarating challenge.

"If you say so, just be careful," Kaguya responded, her voice filled with concern.

Swiftly, I distanced myself from the Astraea familia and the treasure tree, half expecting it to stay behind.

To my astonishment, the green dragon chose to pursue me, confirming my doubts about its abnormal behaviour. According to the guild's monster notes, green dragons never left their trees, even while defending them.

This led me to believe that this creature was either teetering on the brink of becoming a Xenos or an irregular monster. It seemed unlikely that it was an actual Xenos, as a Xenos would never protect a treasure tree.

"Now, it's just you and me. Show me your best!" I taunted the monster, drawing its attention solely toward me.

Roarrrrr!!!!

The green dragon responded with a ferocious roar, as though understanding my challenge, which was most likely my imagination running wild. It began charging its breath attack, readying itself for battle.

"I too can play that game," I muttered, determination fuelling my actions. I quickly focused my mind, drawing upon the depths of my magic to conjure a powerful water spell.

My aim was to create a steam explosion, utilizing the advantage of being in the air to deal additional damage to the fearsome green dragon before me.

With a sudden change in its strategy, the green dragon closed its jaw, extinguishing the massive fireball it had conjured. It had used its breath attack as bait, and I realized I had been outsmarted by this cunning dungeon monster.

"Shit" a curse escaped my lips as I recognized the difficulty of canceling a spell mid-casting for a mage without disastrous consequences.

As the green dragon lunged towards me with its shimmering claws, ready to tear me apart, my mind kicked into overdrive.

Hovering in the air, I weighed my options. Should I release the premature water spell, causing minimal damage but allowing me to escape unscathed? Or should I risk detonating the spell's magic power by canceling it, dealing enormous damage to the approaching green dragon but potentially injuring myself in the process?

With a sigh of frustration, I made the split-second decision to release the spell prematurely. "Water cannon!" I bellowed, unleashing my premature spell with all my might.

The impact was of course sub par. The green dragon was slammed to the ground, obliterating several trees that cushioned its fall. Reacting swiftly, I switched runes and enhanced my speed with the power of wind while bolstering my defence with the element of earth.

"Quick sand!" I shouted, casting an earth spell to temporarily immobilize the green dragon still sprawled on the forest floor. Then, with primal rage burning within me, I slammed my scaled fists into its vulnerable skull.

Roaring in agony, the green dragon showed no signs of significant damage. I realized that its metallic scales proved too resistant for my claws to penetrate deeply. If I wanted to wound it, I had to aim for its joints and other vulnerable areas.

Resolute in my decision, I resolved to blind the creature first. However, the green dragon anticipated my plan, opening its jaws and unleashing a hasty breath attack.

Instinct took over, and I dodged the attack, its weakened power unable to pose a real threat. But as I evaded, I cursed myself for not ignoring the minor damage and pressuring the dragon's eyes regardless.

The scent of burning wood filled the air, indicating a small fire had ignited nearby from the stray fireball I had dodged earlier. I couldn't afford to let the fire spread and risk further complications by spawning in a juggernaut due to excessive floor damage.

Ascending to higher altitudes, I switched my rune to water and extinguished the flames. Meanwhile, the green dragon had recovered and prepared to resume its assault.

Opting to minimize damage to the environment, I descended to the ground, transitioning my rune back to earth while swiftly consuming a mind potion.

The green dragon, witnessing this change in tactics, charged at me with astonishing speed, its previous lethargy transformed into fierce determination.

With impeccable timing, just as the dragon approached within striking distance, I muttered the incantation for "Earth mold," creating a sudden cavity on the ground to disrupt its charge. The ground trembled beneath its weight, causing the creature to stumble as was sent crashing into the trees.

Quickly following the trail of destruction I found the green dragon sprawled on the floor. It quickly got up and shook its head to clear it mind as it was disoriented. I wasn't going to miss such a chance but before I could make my move, one of its horns fell to the ground.

"...…" the air was silent and stagnant for a while before it was broken by a loud roar. The green dragon had descended into madness and thrashed around. I couldn't blame it, our horns were important to us after all. Soon the green dragon gazed at me with its madness fully channelled at me.

In this breathless moment, my heart raced with adrenaline. The battle against the green dragon was going to intensify, and I knew I had to continue harnessing my magical abilities and strategic thinking to outsmart this formidable opponent.