Dragon !!!

Chase lunged forward with determination, his target a stout frog named Lar Frog. Swift as a shadow, he brandished his spear and cleaved a precise arc across the frog's chest. A jet of ebony blood sprayed forth as the creature fell, life extinguished. Just as the triumph settled, another frog assailant seized the moment, launching its sticky tongue toward Chase. He deftly sidestepped, his spear flashing once more to sever the tongue mid-air, the severed end plopping to the ground. Before the frog could recoil its tongue, Chase grasped it firmly, yanking the amphibian forward with unyielding strength. With a forceful thrust, the spear found its mark through the frog's skull.

Chase pressed on, a whirlwind of brutality as he dispatched every threat in his path. His assault was savage, a necessity in their difficult situation.

"Ugh... That spearman's methods are astoundingly brutal," remarked a member of the group with a mixture of awe and revulsion.

"Brutal or not, it's exactly what we need," exclaimed another comrade, excitement gleaming in their eyes as they fended off an attacking wolf with a precise slash.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the fray, stood Archina, her face alive with exhilaration. With an eager grin, she called out to Chase amidst the chaos.

"Chase, how about we raise the stakes?" she hollered, her voice carrying the adrenaline of battle.

"Alright!" Chase roared back, his spear finding yet another target and dispatching a frog with unerring accuracy. As he observed Archina's intensity, he couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, acknowledging her fondness for turning everything into a challenge. "Why does she believe everything must be a contest?" he mused to himself.

Archina's excitement grew as she heard Chase's response. With renewed vigor, she approached the towering Infernal Bovorath. This massive, bull-like creature stood even taller than an average bull, its coarse fur as dark as obsidian. Malevolent crimson glows emanated from its eyes, while its twisted horns resembled jagged obsidian blades. A cloudy puff of air billowed from its nostrils as it watched Archina, readying itself to charge.

As the Bovorath lunged at Archina, she deftly sidestepped, wielding her scythe. With a swift motion, she swung it up, slicing through the creature's tough skin and spilling its blood. However, another Bovorath was closing in, its heavy footsteps resounding. Undaunted, Archina used her scythe still embedded in the first Bovorath to propel herself into the air, executing an impressive flip with her distinctive double ponytails whirling. Gracefully, she landed on the second Bovorath back, her scythe delivering a forceful slam to its head..

"The girl he arrived with is just as brutal," remarked one of the adventurers.

"True, but she possesses an undeniable beauty, as if she's faced countless battles," another replied, gazing at Archin. Unbeknownst to him, a Bovorath was charging toward him, its horn piercing his head in an instant.

Suddenly, Beside Chase, a trio of fellow adventurers joined the fray a fiery-haired mage, summoned arcane shields that crackled with energy, protecting her companions from the beasts' onslaught. Her incantations echoed through the air like a symphony of power. Next, a hulking warrior with an impenetrable suit of armor that seemed forged from the very mountains themselves. With his enormous sword, he swung with an almost preternatural strength, cutting through the tide of the approaching beast. And lastly, a swift rogue, leaped and danced among the chaos, his dual blades flashing in deadly harmony as he struck down the beast with calculated precision.

As the tide of beasts drew nearer, Chase's grip on his spear tightened. He lunged forward, the blade of his spear meeting the oncoming beast with a sickening squelch. His movements were a symphony of fluidity and skill, each thrust and parry executed, The creatures came at him from all directions, but he held his ground, his one arm moving like a whirlwind, the blade of his spear leaving a trail of defeated adversaries in its wake.

"Roar!"

Abruptly, a thunderous roar reverberated, catching the attention of Chase, Archina, and the entire assembly.

Simultaneously, all eyes turned skyward as an immense fire dragon materialized from the billowing clouds. With its scales resembling molten metal, the dragon glided majestically into view, casting an otherworldly gleam across the rugged terrain. Its resounding roars resonated against the protective crystal shield of the kingdom, sending quivers through the ground that dislodged small stones, as if the very earth trembled in trepidation.

A chorus of fearful voices erupted: "We're done for!"

Panic and trepidation swept through adventurers and citizens alike, prompting frantic commotion.

A resolute knight's voice cut through the chaos, carrying authority across the field. "Everyone, compose yourselves! The dragon can't breach the shield." As his words calmed the hysteria, the fire dragon unleashed a torrent of flames from its gaping maw, scorching the air and slamming against the shield with a force that seemed capable of shattering it, reigniting the panic.

Chase and Archina stood shoulder to shoulder, gazes locked on the fiery behemoth. In that moment, Chase's certainty grew he knew that someone had stirred the beast's wrath, beckoning forth this dragon.

Archina turned to Chase, her voice edged with concern. "What course of action should we pursue?"

Chase's fingers cinched around his spear's shaft, knuckles whitening as his focus narrowed onto the fire dragon. Despite the mages' unceasing barrage, their efforts seemed futile against the fire dragon's formidable might. Anchoring his boots into the earth, he forged an unyielding stance, his posture radiating a resolute resolve. His singular arm tensed, a testament to the determination that coursed through his veins.

"Continue your assault, I'll devise a strategy," Chase asserted, his voice measured and confident. He advanced cautiously, each step a deliberate calculation as he scanned the dragon's attributes, plotting his next move.

-Fire Dragon-

- Monster Rank: Savage-

- Level: 18-

- HP: 2100-

- Strength: 90-

- Agility: 87-

- Physique: 84-

- Skills: Fiery Breath, Flame Burst, Tail Swipe-

Abruptly, water mages stationed along the walls enacted their aquatic sorcery, launching a cascade of water both defensively and offensively at the fire dragon. The fiery onslaught met its aqueous match, resulting in an explosive reaction of steam billowing into the air. Amidst the turbulent spectacle, the fire dragon roared with infuriation, its rage stoked by the counteraction.

A thunderous bellow of wrath heralded the dragon's response. Once more, a relentless deluge of flames erupted from its jaw, a searing torrent that left nothing unscathed in its path. The flames voraciously consumed everything, transforming life into ashes in an instant. The inferno advanced with relentless intent, inching closer to Chase's position. In a heartbeat, instincts surged within him, propelling his body into action. He executed a rapid roll to the side, a fraction of a second spared him from the engulfing inferno that raged past, scorching the earth where he had been moments earlier.

With precision, Chase's agile form vaulted onto a nearby rock formation. The flames' incendiary dance failed to catch him, his movement similar to that of an Archina's in its grace and swiftness.

Seeing an opening, gritting his teeth Chase sprang into action. He launched himself forward on the rock formation, his spear aimed at the dragon's heart. His spear sliced through the smoky air, but the dragon was no easy foe. With a deft swerve of its serpentine neck, it evaded the brunt of the attack, although the spear still grazed its flank, leaving behind a shallow gash that sizzled with heat.

As Chase masterfully diverted the fiery dragon's attention, Arin seized the moment to ascend a craggy vantage point. The scythe-blade in her arm gleamed menacingly as she jumped, homing in on the dragon's rear the area where the scales offered a weaker defense. With precision, Archina's scythe sliced through the air, igniting sparks and embers upon striking the dragon's scaled hide. In retaliation, the dragon's tail lashed out, a serpent of retribution, yet Archina's agility danced him out of harm's way effortlessly.

Fueled by fury, the fire dragon pivoted its focus onto Archina's. Like a cascade of inferno, it unleashed another torrent of flames, engulfing the terrain in a devastating blaze. Archina's movements became a ballet of survival as she traversed the uneven landscape, lithely using rocky outcroppings as shields against the relentless onslaught. The earth itself quivered from the sheer ferocity of the dragon's fiery wrath.

Capitalizing on the distraction, Chase sprang into action. He sprinted towards the preoccupied fire dragon, yet the dragon astutely pivoted, hurling a series of flame bursts. Agile as ever, Chase evaded, performing a deft roll that landed him clear of the impending flames. Yet, the dragon's fiery torrent surged forth with swiftness, searing Chase's chest as he scrambled away, propelled by his own legs. Though his dhampir constitution bestowed immunity against light and fire, the dragon's flames proved potent enough to inflict pain. Amidst the turmoil, Archina and the fellow adventurers bore witness, their expressions etched with concern as they continued their assault on the fire draconic.

"Quick, someone help him!" a voice rang out, laced with worry and urgency.

"Idiot, why don't you lend a hand and..." the sentence hung, unfinished.

In the midst of chaos, Chase's focus remained unswayed, honing in on what mattered most. Under the weight of pressure, he swiftly made critical decisions. Ignoring the searing pain and peripheral distractions, he rose to his feet, sprinting toward Archina's side. "Archin, employ your webs to restrain him!" his urgent command pierced the tumult, his form a blur as he circled the dragon to divert its attention.

Archina's stood briefly astounded by Chase's directive. She swiftly secured her scythe onto her back and, with precision honed through practice, unleashed two silky white strands from her hands. The white threads shot forth at remarkable speed, finding it mark on the dragon's scales. As they anchored, the dragon's immense strength began to pull Archina off balance. Gritting her teeth, she held the thread in both hands, using every ounce of her might to counteract the pull. A desperate cry escaped her lips through the struggle, "Chase!"

Upon hearing Archina's urgent shout and witnessing her struggle, Chase's reflexes kicked in without a moment's hesitation. Amidst the shock and excitement rippling through the onlookers, Chase remained resolute, his focus driven by their distant vantage point. Igniting his newfound ability, the 'Ethereal Bloodstrike,' he channeled the blood on his own body into his spear, casting a crimson aura around it. With a decisive throw, his aim honed beneath the dragon's jaw, the spear soared with unwavering precision. It discovered its destined target, embedding itself deep within the dragon's throat and piercing straight through to its skull, dealing a fatal blow.

As the fiery blaze in the dragon's eyes began to wane, its colossal form descended, impacting the earth with a seismic force that resonated like an earthquake.

In the aftermath, all eyes converged upon the fallen dragon and Chase, who stood on the rugged, unyielding terrain. his chest heaved with a mixture of exertion and adrenaline, wounds seeping evidence of their fierce struggle. The crowd's astonishment rendered them momentarily speechless, but soon, a unified roar erupted:

"Dragon Slayer!"

"Dragon Slayer!"

"Dragon Slayer!"

Chase's weariness was palpable, a result of unleashing the powerful theral strike. Despite this, he mustered his strength and swiftly lunged towards the dragon's flank, distancing himself from the crowd. His claws tore through the dragon's scales, revealing its searing hot blood. Entering the system inventory he hadn't used in a while, he retrieved an iron bucket he had once used to collect herbs for the master, now repurposed to contain the scorching fluid. The buckets multiplied to three, their contents boiling and nearly scalding the blood. With efficiency, he stowed them away in the system inventory.

In a calculated motion, Chase signaled Archina to hasten their efforts, creating a barricade against the approaching crowd. Retreating to safety, he stressed the need for discretion to Archina, aware that the hunters were still a looming threat.

Simultaneously, a towering figure donning a hoodie emerged from the scene. With an air of anticipation, he reached the fallen dragon, effortlessly lifting Chase's bloodied spear from its throat. A bizarre mixture of reverence and fascination drove him to taste the bloodstained weapon.

As dawn broke on the following day, a rhythmic "Tap!, Tap!" resonated in the air.