[Arc 5] Chapter 1-2: The Great Loong: Ling

"Ready or not, here I come!" - Ling

The old man who had transformed into a giant, wingless dragon, Ling, charged at me with his huge body. I created a huge shield made of crystals and had him collide into it. Despite the old dragon's huge body, his physical attack strength is low. A typical Loong, I see.

"That hurt! Why? You're a spirit-kind?" - Ling

Tch, he figured out fast. My [Spirit Crystal] skill amplifies the crystals I can create with skills to become spirit crystals. They're filled with mana enough to be dubbed "natural mana bombs" by miners, as a slight impact releases the mana inside it. 

"If you want an explanation, start doing so yourself! What is this sudden duel about?" - Mira

"Isn't it obvious? Many of my subordinates are living in my Dungeon. If you lot are supposed to inherit it and them, then I need to guarantee that they are placed in capable hands!" - Ling

"No, you only want a good brawl in your old age, old man." - Zaria

"Old-aged old man." - Fat Kamaitachi

"Stop calling me old! I am only 3,000 years old!" - Ling

No, that's old! Even if your lifespan is way bigger than ours, you won't stay in your prime until that time! 

"Tch. Then if it's a fight you want, you got it! You guys, don't interfere. This is a one-on-one match!" - Mira

"Yes, ma'am!"

The remaining Dungeon monsters who'd stayed behind did like Zaria did before and gave me and the old dragon some space. If this geezer dragon wants a brawl, I'll give him one that he'll remember for the last of his years!

"Then, let's restart!" - Mira

I created several phantasmal swords and launched them with the Force Shot spell against the Loong while he was busy complaining to Zaria and her friends.

"Too naive!" - Ling

With a shout, the old man produced tons of mist that blocked-, wait a sec. The mist blocked my phantasmal swords? Solidified mist..., it is mist, right? I don't remember that there were Mist attribute skills that let you block attacks. At most, Mist-users can only block your vision to make attacks easier to evade. It's not an attribute for head-on collisions, but more, how should I say it, sneakier occasions? Like now.

"GRAND SHOCK!" - Mira

"GYAAAAAH!?" - Ling

"Ooh! Contender Mira managed to get a sneak blow with the flat end of her sword on contender Ling while the latter was distracted by his own [Block Smoke]! What an intriguing and cheap move!" - Zaria

"Who're you calling cheap? And what are you even doing?"  - Mira

"Commentating. I didn't have the chance at the Festival, so I wanted to try it out." - Zaria

"Do whatever you want to. I got some good info out of it. Right, Smoke-user?" - Mira

"Tch. Busted already..." - Ling

The old dragon looked at me while nursing the bump on his head. Like I thought, blunt attacks are better when attacking the areas that are protected by his scales. Can't cut this guy open and spill his guts after all.

"-!? *Cough*, no need to keep it a secret anymore. My name is Ling, the Smoke Loong Ling! Little girl, if you want me to acknowledge your group, either defeat me or try to uncover the two other attributes I govern!" - Ling

He's acting all cool, but didn't he just notice that I worried about gutting him in an accident so he gave me an alternative so to prevent that? Not that I have anything against that plan.

"In that case, take this! [Lightning Glitter]!!" - Mira

The fight's already on, so mister old Loong ain't in the position to complain about me getting a hit in when his guard's down!

My new skill, [Lightning Glitter], is a combo of [Flash] and [Blitz], resulting in a long-range attack that's similar to a bright flash, but...

"BZZZZZZZZZZZZZTT-!?" - Ling

It shocks more than it blinds.

"BZZZZZZZTT-!?" - Zaria

And it's not fit for team play! Crap, I didn't know that. 

I left the zapped Zaria in the hands of the Kamaitachi brothers and ran toward the old Loong. When getting close enough, I jumped at it with a flying knee, using [Genocide Drive: Strength] to further increase the power of my move including the boost from the Warfare-skills and [Monstrous Strength]. And all that resulted in..., the Loong getting blown into the mountainside.

"Ugh, what stupidly strong power..., [Life Re-Raize]!" - Ling

A light came from the old Loong's body and I could see the scales that had broken from my knee kick and the collision with the mountainside return to normal in front of my eyes. Isn't that...

"Hey, hey! The old master of the mountain is so pitiful that he's getting his butt kicked by a sweet, frail girl like me?" - Mira

"A gorilla woman like you are anything but-BUH!?" - Ling

The guy was getting on my nerves so I gave him a sudden full-power kick again after closing the distance with [Flash Step]. Then, as the old Loong was flown backward, I saw that the area around his lungs started to expand-, crap!?

I used a combo of the Lightning Shot spell and the shooting-enhancing [Dark Knight's Killer Shot] skill to create a blast with so much recoil that it forced me back to the ground after I'd been in the air due to the last kick on the old Loong. Not soon after, a dragon breath that seems to be of both smoke and fire escaped the old Loong's mouth, scorching the area that I'd been at just a second ago.

That's..., strange. Wanting to sort out my thoughts, I quickly entered the bushes for some cover.

"WA-HAHAHAHA! Do not underestimate me, little girl! I haven't lived so long for nothing!" - Ling

The old Loong started to bombard the bushes with smokeballs made of black smoke. Is he withholding the fire from before because he doesn't want to start a fire in here? Or is it true...

Feeling good about this idea, I created a few phantasmal swords and added the effect of [Lightning Edge] to them before firing them into the block of black smoke that had started to spread around the bushes except where I was, thank god for the old Loong's poor aim and that I moved quickly and stealthy away from the area I entered the bushes from.

And the second the electrified sword struck the black smoke-

*KA-BOOOOM!*

Which made it explode. I knew I'd seem something like that before...

"WA-HAHAHA. So there's where you're hiding! Taste the fury of a Loong! [Smoke Spear Skewers]!" - Ling

No, what "fury" is that ridiculous skill supposed to channel? Well, he's firing only toward the blast area, meaning I have free time to prepare a secret trick of mine. Take out a pair of physical swords, one with a wider blade than the other, use them with the Force Shot spell on delayed activation, use the secret skill I hate to use, and..., fire!

The two swords emerged from the bushes and headed straight for the old Loong. Or not. They flew a good distance over his head.

"Wha-!? So that's where you are!" shouted the old Loong as he switched over to another breath-attack after seeing that the swords would fly over him. 

It was then I released my most unexpected trick at the Loong. The two swords I fired above the old Loong, they're positioned so that the shadow of the thinner one hits the wide sword perfectly. Even the speed produced from the Force Shot is calculated perfectly. Meaning...

"[Shadow Dive], release!" - Mira

I jumped out of the shadows produced by the two swords, right when they were above the old Loong's head. 

"Huh-!?" - Ling 

And before he could react, or even stop his breath, I gave him a strong, full-powered kick and forced his jaws to close, making the breath explode in his mouth.

"GYAAAAAA!!" - Ling

---

"Hey, old man, you better stop now. It's bad for your health to keep this up." - Zaria

The old Loong was lying on the road after having tasted his own medicine. Correction, he's tasted his own breath-attack. But even then...

"N-n-never..." - Ling

What a stubborn old lizard. Good thing he prepared a plan B for himself, even if he's likely to have forgotten about it himself.

"Hey, you said before that you would give up when I revealed to the world your three specialized attributes, right?" - Mira

"*Cough*, and what does-*COUGH, COUGH, COUGHCOUGHCOUGH*-!?" - Ling

"Old man, take a break already!!" shouted Zaria with tears forming in her eyes. And with how pale the old Loong looks like right now, I'm starting to get cold feet too!

"Ehh..., I'll be quick. You specialize in Life and Gunpowder in addition to your Smoke, right?" - Mira

"Wha-*COUGH*-!!?" - Ling

"That recovery-move you did before, it was a high-ranking Life attribute skill. An old acquaintance of mine could use the same skill, and they told me they required to have the [Life Technique Master] title at the very least to obtain said skill." - Mira

"Ah, then that's an obvious one." - Zaria

"And the black "smoke" from before, it was a Gunpowder move. Lily used something similar once when we were training. It seemed to be related to a Smoke + Gunpowder title." - Mira

"Eh? Then what about the fire from before?" - Zaria

"Probably a skill that granted the Smoke attribute some of the properties of the Fire attribute. Skills like that are called "combination attribute" skills. Think of them as skills that let you obtain some traits of attribute-mastery combination titles. Ciara's [Waterproof Ink] is one of them, as it combines Ink and Water to increase the Ink attribute's defense against water in general." - Mira

"Huh? Then couldn't he have the Fire title instead?" - Zaria

"There was such a possibility, but after seeing the explosive force of that "explosive smoke" from before, I can for certain say that he has the Gunpowder title. The quality between a combination attribute-title and skill are leagues between each other." - Mira

"Oh, so if the titles are like blood, then the skills are like tomato juice?" - Zaria

"Tomato? Sure, yeah. Let's go with that." - Mira

That's mostly the reason why I haven't taken the skills myself. And that you can only obtain one skill that enhances one attribute you have an attribute-mastery title for. With such limitations, you can't pick these types of skills simply at random.

"So, what's the verdict? Mister Ling..." - Mira

He isn't moving. Don't tell me-!

"He only fainted while you two were talking." - Smart-looking Kamaitachi

"Thank god!" - Mira & Zaria

Geez, I feel like several years of my lifespan was shaved off there! Let's carry the old Loong back..., couldn't he have transformed back to a human when he fainted? 

---

???:

"To think you really came along! Nian, you tsundere~!"

"Be quiet. This is more about keeping the Mystic Mountains in one piece after the event."

"Wow~. So that's why you took on this cuddly form~?"

"Do not call it cuddly. It is simply an energy-saving clone-body. And before you say anything, I am certain that there is a risk for the mountains to get lasting wounds from this event. You are participating after all."

"SO RUDE! A cute and harmless little Lightning-"

"Is that the tower?"

"LISTEN TO ME!! ...huh?"

"Hey, is that not..."

"Why is the tower in the middle of a lake of Demonic Sea-water!?"

---

Skill List:

Title List:

Achievement Titles:

Hunting Titles:

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Kigal-Note/Monsters/Dragons: Smoke Loong

Description:

The Smoke Loong is a mythical dragon of the Smoke attribute. They, along with their brethren Loongs, are known for their intelligence and benevolence, so many people look up to these majestic creatures. 

The Smoke Loong specifically, however, is known to be passionate regarding both art and the art of combat. They will gladly challenge someone they deem worthy to a trial so to test this favored individual's powers. This again can be seen as the Loong properly respecting this individual on an equal basis.

Appearance:

The Smoke Loong has a long, serpentine body with smoke-gray scales, golden horns, and a long beard. They have two arms and two legs, and the tip of their tail is decorated with fiery-red fur. Despite lacking wings, they are capable of flying through the air with elegance and grace.

Abilities:

Like other Loongs, the Smoke Loong has a distinct advantage with magical abilities compared to the all-around Element Dragons. Their expertise with the Smoke attribute is incredibly high that they could cover a mountain in concealing smoke if required to.

While normally possessing great intelligence, when faced with an opponent they consider a "good match", the hot blood of the Smoke Loong may get the better of them, essentially reducing their tactical abilities by a good shot.

Zaria's comment: Old man Ling told me once that his beard could be used to create expensive magic items. Who'd thought?