Battle

"Well this is my queue, sorry I can't stay and enjoy the somber mood but duty calls."

"B-be careful Hero."

"Beware the Dragon's breath."

"Thanks for the heads up you guys but trust me, I'm fine."

I look up my spacial pouch and equip a draconic battle suit, a white light envolpes my the room followed by a magical girl like transformation sequence guantlets equip itself to my arms, a horned helm equips to my head, legwear equips to my lower half and finally a scaly armor equips itself to my torso, an all black armor glamour jeez I'm getting old for this over the top edge.

I give those two a nod , and leap straight off the window running top speed like a comicbook speedster feels amazing. For the 1st time arriving in this world I felt like I finally found myself a purpose, Dr. Tyrel forced to accept a burden and made it work out, Princess Reifa who shoulders the weight of an entire Kingdom, Lady Kayla self sacrifice choosing not to save herself but that of a stranger, and Mrs Truffles she baked me cookies even though she didn't have to, it was generously good too... ahem, enough getting losf in thought I'm finally here.

The Dragon's Lair.

"We were waiting for you Hero."

A hooded man stood atop a dragon sizing me up, his facial features hide behind his white devilish mask the number 0 embeded in red, his robe suggests that he's a member of the XIII.

"You're a XIII member right."

"I might be or not." He snickered my way to throw me off

"Yeah eitherway I'm wrecking you and your dragon."

"Do you hear him Ancient one he thinks you a mere familiar hahaha."

"mhmm." The dragon scoffed and glared at my direction.

"Ancient One , kill the hero." Disembarking from the dragon the mysterious 0 ordered the dragon

"Too late!!!."

I immediately shot up a glacier lance and 3 magic bolts aiming to finish him off dangerous as the dragon may be, my main concern was the strong XIIIth member I need to keep myself in an optimum shape if I want to come out of this ordeal alive.

What came next was an absolute shocker, with a flick of a finger a shield rose before him absorbing the shock.

'No, this isn't an NPC skill' i thought to myself either i was out of it or the npcs of this world awakened to powers similar to mine. Had my only skill leverage become commonplace?

"Hasty are we?, I've only shown myself to you to give a warning."

"That is?."

"The XIII will bring forth a new calamity one much greater than the last."

"Do struggle my hero, and show your mettle for it is I Belial who shall hold you true to your nature."

My nature?

*roar*

The dragon struck me with its spiked tail as i contemplated , I barely held up a shield in time.

"A few bruises , but nothing I can't handle."

"You're an impressive human or dare I say your armor is."

"Both."

I unsheath a sword from my spacial pouch and leap into the dragon by the time I struck him he'd parry with his nail, from the point of impact the ancient dragon unleashes 4 magic circles fire chains emerging from them. I dodged 2 thinking this was it for those, when I realized they homed in my direction I wish I stacked on bind dispellers from my time in my game, well it doesn't matter I'm a walking armory afterall.

"Sit still and let me bind you human."

"I know you can do better."

The dragon roared , as the chains chased me along with occasional breathes which I parry with a shield conjured from my spacial box. Deflecting the chains I bring my sword to severe one aimed at my head I dodge another and just as it turned I struck vanquishing the second.

"This won't do Dragon, my shield is draconic better get ..."

"Haha, what shild I see a molten handle."

What the hell my shield's getting worn out from this, god damn it stats doesnt translate to real life.

Whilst evading the chains and fire I conjure another blade (water) and equip dual wielding like some anime protagonist

"Let me the anime protagonist im destined to be ; Dragon." I had enough from going defensive time to attack.

"Never in a million year human!!, come and let me burn you to cinders."

I back away from the dragon and proceed to cast an agility + attack support spells.

I'm feeling light its like im flying, not literally ofcourse I'd need a mount for that. I'm face to face with the dragon.

"I'm right in your face !!." I struck the dragon in the eye and it roared an inhumane roar.

"Hes going berserk mode!!."

Still suspended in air the dragons tail strike me crossing my hands in time I blocked the attack leaving me with injuries of my own as i rammed against the wall. My throat cuffed blood as soon as I was struck down the ground.

"I thought you were amusing at first , I went at you with powers similar to that of a normal ancient dragon. I thought I'd spare you the humiliating helplessness now however i want nothing more than crush you who stand in the way of my reunion with my spawns. You face Salamander the Infernal Dragon."

"What?, your spawns!!." Salamander is supposed to be dead I've killed himself myself. What is this expansion about a remake??

The dragon roars heading me no time to think my actions through as he breathed fire down the entire cave, I try my absolute damnest not to get crisped. An unbearable blazing sensation engulfs my body, it seemed like armor began conducting some of the heat.

have I become weaker since coming her?, I ask myself this question Salamander is by no means a powerful ancient dragon yet my defenses are wanning against his flames. I have to circumvent this somehow... wait i think i got it lets hope shit works out.

A gigantic magic circle appeared engulfing the whole cave's ceiling. The real deal t-the real deal I'm going to die unbelievable. If theres a time where some secret dormant power layed within me surfaces now is the moment.

"This is it."

I ....

'Everytime we talk , what happened before weighs my mind. Don't you get it you're torturing me and your mother.'

'Don't say that, I'm sure .... has his reasons, take all the time you need but I want you to remember im here for you.'

'I'm sorry .... , he forced me to do this. You're one of my bestfriends I don't want to lose yoy.'

'Oh your live's over .... hahaha.'

'I'm sorry mom and dad ...'

Hahahaha why am I getting those flashbacks i don't remember any of those pepole's faces. My friend costed me my future, parents gave up on me the moment I gave up on myself and worst of all it was my temper that costed me everything and the bully that ruined my lifem

The dragon shown no mercy to me a downed KO"d advemturer, at least give me a minute to let it sink in.

"Hahaha, it burns."

The circles unleashed inferno, I'm getting cooked on all sides, I'm sorry Reifa and Lithea you chose a run of the mill player I'm not a hero nor am I an adventurer never was.

'Hero of Etheria , you have the power to stand above all.'

'Easier said than done Lithea, I'm not a hero I'm just a geek from another world.'

'Believe in yourself saviour for I believe in you.'

'How can I gain what I've already lost.'

Fire consumed me as I contemplated my belief , I'd already lost that part of myself in the other world do I have it in me to believe.

'Let not your mind outshine your heart, you are a hero and for this world to survive the mantle has to be carried by you... these are my memories of you hero may it serve you well in remembering your value to this realm.'

This is me? Or at least my game counterpart

Ah the quest where I put the princess political marriage on hold and the suitor turned out to be a leader of bandits, the time where I helped liberate a village from exorbitant taxation, i joined a mercenary group to raid a dungeon ended up saving taking a hit for the novice healer.. this was when I faced the XIII tower bosses back to back and saved Lithea from the evil dragon Behemoth.

'Me being valuable I doubt it, this world had saved me you provided solace to a battered soul like myself. I felt like I mattered again while I was here , Etheria is what sustained me to live and I won't let any world ending boss or a draconic obstacle destroy my world.'

'Have you found your resolve hero of the realm.'

'Yes and more than anything thank you'

"You know what I'm getting sick of you giant lizards and before you say it the irony isn't flying over my head ik i'm a lizard too."

Magic circles established , route confirmed , incantation set.

Just as i say my piece i produce hardned icicles from the palm of my hand and shove a dozen down the dragons throat.

*rooooooaaar*

The dragon coughed and wheezed out for air, his face contorting in pain and discomfort. 'Serves him right' i think. Now its my turn to lay it on him.

Without the voice a dragon is as good as a wyvern.

I equip my dual lance and lung forward thrusting , slashing, and wounding the dragon in the process.

the dragon not being a pushover by anymeans meets me in defiantly , the fight soon disolved into all out brawl between man and.

"And Beast." Hahahaha this is the most fun i've had in ages

"You're alive how?."

"I got help from a friend." I say

"This energy, Lithea you dare interfere!!!."

"This is the end of the line." I say as magic fosters within the palm of my hands, fire that burns hot with my determination takes the shape of a sword the infernal blade within me shines in brilliant red as I unsheath it and unleash a flare upon the dragon

"Aaaaaargh!!!."

The dragon attempted resistance ended up in naught but failure as he falls down on all his fours, groaning and sprawled out pathetically the dragon looks into my eyes putting a resigned expression.

"You kill me and you condemn my spawns to death, I plead you human let me live."

"What?."

"Belial took them away from me, told he'd spare them once i have you killed. I failed and now my spawns are condemned to remain in captivity." Said Salamander

"That masked man?."

"Yes, I will give my word that I shall leave you humans be if you let me.."

"You can go."

"huh? Art thou not afraid of.."

"Oh no? I know where this will go and I'll help you by being on the lookout for your babies."

"Thou art kind hero, I see now that Lithea had chosen well."

"You gave me a good fight roasted me back to shape literally and I-I thank you Dragon."

"It's Salamander, an honour to have met you."

"Likewise and its Zephyr."

To be continued