Draconic Dread

Together, they each placed a hand upon the ice-cold crystal, invoking the singular word that empowered it: "Transport!"

In the instant the word left his lips, he found himself blinded by an impossible bright light, feeling a weightlessness overtake his body as he was no doubt sucked from the bounds of the Guild. 

'This is…a transport? It's different from [Blink],' he thought. 

It felt as though he was floating through a stream of swirling light, feeling himself move through the bright space before suddenly–

He arrived at the anchored location, finding himself now standing in a torch-lit cavern from a seamless transition. 

"Huh?" 

'I'm here? This is the spot?' He thought. 

As he glanced around, he found Gunter and Edith appearing beside him as well, finding another Transport Crystal stationed in the cave as well as other things: there were other adventurers occupying the isolated cave. 

"Nnngh…"

"Ghh…"

"Agh!" 

–It was a total shift in environment; adventurers laid in the cave, laying on mats and groaning in pain from their various injuries; some were covered in lacerations while the majority were inflicted with agonizing burn wounds. 

There were only so many medics stationed there, doing their best to help, but the number of wounded surpassed a couple dozen. 

It could be heard from beyond the cave; the periodic tremors and the monstrous roars in the distance–the dragon in question was still at large, and still laying waste to the forces of the adventurers. 

"This is from the dragon?" He audibly wondered. 

Gunter quietly remarked, "It's not surprising. This is what it means to face a dragon; they came here knowing what could happen."

"I have to agree with him," Edith added, "Facing a dragon does not come without such risks."

Jett was taken aback by just how lethal the presence of the Abyss Dragon felt now, but it didn't shake his confidence. 

"Edith, can you help them?" He asked. 

The spellblade looked at him, "I can, but…If I tend to their wounds, I won't be able to help in a fight."

"That's fine," he interjected, "Gunter and I can handle it, right?" 

Gunter was quick to give a thumbs-up, agreeing to the plan without hesitation, "No problem!"

Though there was no doubt that Edith seldom liked the idea of staying behind from the real battle, there was a clear part of her expression when confronted with the idea of the suffering adventurers in the impromptu base; she wanted to help. 

"Alright. I will do what I can here to help, then I will regroup with you in battle," Edith nodded, "Be safe, Master. Gunter, I am entrusting Master's wellbeing to you–do not fail."

"Of course I won't! Who do ya think I am?!" Gunter beamed. 

"I'll be fine!" Jett assured. 

There was little time to waste as he led the way out of the cave, hearing the not-so-distant roars of the dragon looming in the area, along with the sounds of flames and volatile explosions. 

"Ever fought a dragon before?" He asked while running alongside the booze-loving warrior. 

Gunter smiled, "Only whelps! This will be a first! Ga-ha-ha!"

"...Not reassuring," he muttered. 

The exit to the cave led to a vast, open field that served as a basin valley that was surrounded by walls of mountains, seeming to exist on a colossal mountain itself as the air was brisk and clouds neighbored the trees. 

"Where the hell are we?" He audibly let out. 

"No clue!" Gunter quickly responded. 

As they raced towards where the lethal battle was taking place, a group of adventurers could be seen holding their ground in a clearing, though some were clearly hurt. 

A youthful adventurer of sharp, amethyst eyes and brown hair, dressed in steel armor, wielding a gold-hilted greatsword glanced back in relief upon seeing the two arrive as reinforcements, "Backup? Great–" 

"What's the situation–"

Just as he tried to ask for information, the only info he needed presented itself as a large shadow cast itself over the group, followed by an inexplicable pressure. 

As he looked up, he found his words caught in his throat like a lump; there it was–a magnificent, but terrifying creature of gargantuan size, spreading its wings out and bearing its teeth and claws. It was covered in pitch-black scales with glowing, violet eyes, breathing out a malignant breath of miasma. 

'That's…an Abyss Dragon?' He thought. 

[BOSS |Abyss Dragon | Lv: 25]

Seeing it with his own eyes, he realized just how such a dreadful sight in the cave of wounded adventurers came to be; it landed upon the skyhigh field amidst the mountains, curving its nefarious wings with a deathly wind following. 

As soon as it touched down, digging its gargantuan claws into the soil, the booming propulsion of air from its weight landing caused the frail fighters among the group to be pushed back. Some even were knocked off their feet completely. 

'Something like this…It really reminds me of where I am–this is a whole different world. I'd never see anything like this on Earth,' he thought. 

"Ga-ha-ha! So, that's the beast we're slaying today?!" Gunter held his axe up before slamming it against his shield as if beating a drum. 

The immutable passion for battle displayed by the scruffy-bearded companion of his drew gazes from the worn-and-torn adventurers as if Gunter was a madman. 

There was an adventurer with light-orange hair, wearing a burgundy banana and black-leather gear with a chipped shortsword in hand, who rolled back from the Abyss Dragon's landing, stopping near Jett. 

"Ghh…This sucks, this really sucks!" The youthful adventurer complained, "All I wanted was to be promoted from silver, but now I'm just going to die…!" 

Jett definitely understood such motivations, opting to give a helping hand to the fighter of similar age to himself, hoisting him to his feet. 

"Jett," he introduced himself. 

"Thanks," the bandana-wearing adventurer said, "I'm Johannes. Guess names hardly matter when we're about to die, though." 

Jett chuckled with a confident smile, "Die? Just leave it to me. I'll slay that dragon and shoot up the ranks–no problem." 

"Huh?! What rank are you, anyway? I've never seen you around," Johannes asked. 

"Bronze," he answered. 

"B…Bronze?! You're crazy if you think you stand a chance! I'm a rank higher than you and I can't even get close to that thing, let alone scratch it! Urgh–they couldn't at least transport a platinum-rank here?!" Johannes panicked. 

Gunter laughed at the frantic adventurer's words, "Just watch and learn–my Master is on a whole 'nother level than his rank shows." 

"Huh? 'Master'?" Johannes was left perplexed. 

While they spoke, the battle had already resumed, if it could be called so; adventurers tossed basic fireball spells and charged in with swords, yet the Abyss Dragon shrugged off their puny magic and repelled their offense with a single roar. 

"Are there no adventurers capable of slaying this thing or what?" Jett remarked. 

Johannes responded, "...There are! A platinum-rank alone should be able to handle this! It should be easy! The thing is…all the adventurers in Merdlum that could fight this thing are out on other quests!" 

"Really? Talk about crappy timing," Jett said. 

"Take this seriously!" Johannes said, already having spilled tears as the young man certainly felt his life was in danger. 

It was no doubt a dire situation. 

Jett opened [Void Inventory], calling upon [Nature's Wrath], manifesting the leaf-bladed longsword into his grip. Beginning to walk towards the source of the hectic battle, "Jugu, to me." 

From the simple invocation, he called upon one of his familiars dormant within the [Void Inventory], summoning the cyclopian warrior to his side. 

"What's that?!" Johannes witnessed. 

Jett spoke to the cyclops familiar of his, "Jugu, make sure to keep that guy from dying, alright?" He said, pointing over to Johannes, who was still knelt on the grass. 

The cyclops grumbled, "Hrm. As you command, Master." 

Johannes was left stunned as the cyclopian warrior stood guard beside him while both Jett and Gunter engaged the enemy at hand, rushing in whilst it swiped its claws at the adventurers, terraforming the valley with its limbs alone.