Chapter 233: Dragon Hunter ③ Giant Cannon Roar

Aegir POV–

「Celia, Gido, Kroll, everyone here?」

「「Yes!」」「I-I can ride a horse.」

Gido’s body took a beating but no bones were broken.

As one of the mountain nation, he can ride a horse despite being riddled with wounds.

Right now I don’t have the luxury to worry about him.

We rush out of the dwarven cave and jump on our horses.

Schwartz neighs loudly, bucking its body like it’s had enough of me.

He doesn’t seem to like me carrying the hammer I borrowed from the dwarves which is heavier than Celia.

「Bear with it. You have a woman in the city too.」

It is only a short distance from where we are to Lintbloom, so a dragon capable of flying in the sky can get there in no time at all.

I can’t see any fire coming from the city for now, though I shouldn’t let my guard down.

「Our legs are too short to ride horses. We’ll hurry as much as possible so try your best to buy some time.」

After Balbano, as well as the other dwarves, started running, I could hear an ear-piercing cry from above.

The dragon was perched on the mountainside and looking back and forth between the city and us.

It looks like that thing is ready and waiting to attack too.

「Anyways, the dwarves should hurry to the city! Celia and the others should get the citizens…… I don’t know where to let them run. Just make sure you keep them calm so they don’t panic.」

If they disperse and run outside the city walls, the black beasts will flock to them.

So unless we exterminate the dragon, it will result in a considerable amount of casualties.

「Schwartz, move in a snake pattern while maintaining your speed. That thing breathes fire so dodge it appropriately.」

As Schwartz shakes his head and sighs, I tell him that he can have as many mares as he wants if things go well, hoping he will work hard for it.

Celia and the others head for the city in a straight line while I zigzag around shouting loudly.

「The one who cut off your claw and sent your tooth flying is right here! How’d you like that, did it hurt!?」

I know it’s just cheap provocation but the dragon growls angrily and sends a stream of fire at me.

The legendary dragon surprisingly doesn’t seem to have any patience at all.

「There, it’s coming. Pick up the pace.」

Schwartz stops zigzagging when I pull on his mane and instantly accelerates.

The fire crawls on the ground, chasing me from behind, though it eventually loses speed and scatters.

It seems the flames aren’t strong enough to scorch the earth.

「You suck, it didn’t hit me at all!」

I bash a rock on the wasteland with my warhammer as I ridicule the dragon.

That thing spreads its wings and takes to the sky.

「……that thing’s surprisingly short-tempered. It’s coming.」

After briefly dancing in the air, the dragon quickly approaches us while lowering its altitude.

It must be trying to sweep down and tear us apart with its claws.

「It’s coming diagonally from behind us on the right side.」

Schwartz neighs as if saying he knows.

Right before the dragon swoops down, Schwartz makes a sharp turn to the left and decelerates.

That thing’s claws barely miss us and digs into an empty space on the ground.

「Take that!」

To top it off, I whack its lowered arm with my warhammer.

The head of the hammer, which is apparently the dwarves’ best weapon, gets chipped after one hit.

However, the impact from a wallop will certainly transmit more damage than a slashing attack.　My theory is proven by the fact that the dragon, turning after it flew ahead of us, moved its arm away like it felt the pain.

Next, that thing circles around to cut us off, landing in front of us before opening its large mouth and walking straight towards us.

So that thing wants to fight on land and make sure we’re really dead by biting us.

「Turn to the right.」

Maintaining speed, Schwartz veers right to avoid the dragon’s jaws.

Unable to land its attack on us, it ends up headbutting the ground.

「One more hit.」

Passing right by him, I get in a good swing at its chin.

The dragon twists its head in pain but we’ve already circled around close to its body so it can’t get us with its teeth.

I switch to my Dual Crater and slash at its drooping wings, thigh and tip of its tail.

Because of the hard scales, I wasn’t able to make any deep cuts though it was deep enough to tear flesh and draw blood.

It let out an extraordinarily loud roar…… I don’t understand dragon language but it was probably saying something like “How dare you bastards, I’ll kill you”.

That thing takes in a deep breath.

「Now, this is the critical moment, run like your life depends on it if you don’t want to become horse steak!」

Schwartz gallops at full speed while I make sure to carry the weapons on my back and lower my body to decrease wind resistance.

All of a sudden, I feel an intense heat behind me.

That thing twisted its body and spit fire at us.

Schwartz gets his tail burnt again.

The dragon continues letting out a stream of fire as it twists its body to the left while we keep heading to the left hoping the fire can’t catch up and turn me into a stinky human roast.

Perhaps running out of breath, the flames stop coming and the dragon gives me an annoyed glare.

The only thing the fire accomplished was burning Schwartz’s tail.

The large dragon is fast in the sky by slow on the ground.

It’s too fast for its own good when it flies and can’t manage to land a blow on us whereas we’re too fast on the ground for the dragon to catch us.

Even though we are of different races, I can clearly tell it is feeling irritated.

I’ll provoke him just a little bit more.

「Hahaha, what pleasant fire. It’s perfect for a cold day like this.」

Schwartz also starts defecating in a mocking manner.

It seems our provocation crosses the race border and the message gets transmitted clearly to the dragon.

That thing raises both hands and smacks the ground like a spoiled brat, kicking up an excessive amount of dust.

It then takes flight, spewing flames in the air randomly before giving us a sidelong glance and then soaring off towards the city.

「Tch, looks like that’s all I can do.」

I bought some time but I wonder if that was enough for the dwarves to get prepared.

We have to head over there quickly as well.

Schwartz runs like the wind and we arrive at the city of Lintbloom in just a few minutes.

It appears our battle could also be seen from the city as alarms are ringing endlessly while the citizens scream about and run around in all directions.

「Don’t stray from the paths! Get inside forges or cellars or other sturdy buildings!」

「Those left out should take cover in a ditch!」

Celia and Kroll are trying their best, but aren’t able to suppress the chaos.

「……it’s just flying over our heads.」

The dragon is drawing large circles in the sky above the city, waiting for its opportunity.

It’s a matter of time before it attacks.

「Master!」

「Leah, get inside the basement of the inn. That’s probably the safest place.」

Its flames are hot enough to melt rock.

I don’t know how long the basement can withstand the temperature but it should be much better than running about outside on the surface.

「I’ll have to get rid of it.」

I don’t need a horse it we’re fighting within the city.

I dismount from Schwartz and wield a weapon in each of my hands.

「I’m counting on you, Balbano.」

I start running to lure the dragon, who sends a sharp glare at me before making a rapid descent in my direction.

Right about the time the dragon was getting in position to attack, Lintbloom’s defense unit starts attacking.

A volley of arrows and bowgun bolts fly toward the creature.

It goes without saying however that the projectiles all get deflected by the dragon’s scales with a light ‘clink’ sound.

「You don’t have to do anything! Arrows aren’t effective, just run away!」

The defense unit hears me shouting and was about to transition to escape, but they were a little too late.

The dragon made its way towards the defense squad in the air and bathed them in its fiery breath.

「Gyah……」「Hiih……」

The screams don’t continue for long.

Those hit by the brunt of the attack instantly get turned into a pile of charred remains.

Even those who quickly hid in the shadow of buildings get burned down along with the buildings.

「Tch……」

If the shelter is meaningless to that thing then the townscape only serves to obstruct our movements.

It probably doesn’t want to step inside the city and close in for a melee.

There’s nothing I can do if it just stays in the air and shoots fire at me.

「Nooooooo!!」

A scantily-clad woman lets out a high-pitched squeal and squats down.

I’m guessing she’s a prostitute whose legs have become weak and she isn’t able to move anymore.

The dragon once again makes a steep descent and approaches while spitting fire.

「Come!」

I grab the woman’s hand and throw her into a ditch, then cover her with my body.

Luckily, this is a water storage.

I punch and destroy a large barrel, allowing all the water inside to flow out and into the ditch.

And then, the flames assaulted us.

I lower my body as well as the body of the struggling woman into the ditch.

It felt like my back was burning as heat quickly surrounds my body.

「Achichi…… it became boiling water in an instant.」

I raise my body and see that most of the water has evaporated and the little amount left in the ditch is bubbling away.

If we didn’t have either the water or the ditch, the both of us would have been burnt to a crisp.

「Um, I-……」

「No time to talk right now, just run for now. If you survive, let me embrace you.」

After saying that, I leave the woman and run full speed ahead.

It doesn’t look like I can buy anymore time like this.

I can only bet that the dwarves completed their preparations.

The trump card for taking out the dragon could not be anything except for the giant cannon Urgan.

The dwarves worked tirelessly to build this cannon with their best materials, making this building-sized and unnecessarily long cannon, which is so heavy that it can’t be moved a single step from Lintbloom, our one and only hope.

Many citizens surge towards the factory where this giant cannon was left.

This is Lintbloom’s most important building so many guards are also here, and while it is understandable to want to depend on them……

「With ‘that’ as your opponent, even tens of thousands of soldiers can’t do anything.」

Pushing aside the confused citizens and soldiers, the dwarves take up positions on the giant cannon and shout.

「Ready!?」

「Five more minutes!」

Five minutes never felt longer.

The maid who comes to wake me in the morning of the next day says the same thing, but I won’t mention that.

「I guess I’ll have to buy more time.」

I get into a ready stance with my hammer and Dual Crater, knowing it’s meaningless against an opponent who can fly.

As if to mock me, the dragon increases its altitude before sucking in a big breath.

「Fireeeee!!」

However, before it could shoot out any fire, numerous cannons were discharged.

The cannons’ aim was haphazard at best but the booming sounds and flying iron balls must have surprised the dragon, as it didn’t end up breathing out any flames, instead flying around and briefly allowing the projectiles to pass by.

「It didn’t hit…… load the next round!」

This place is a military factory, so of course there will be cannons manufactured here.

I don’t know who pulled them out all of a sudden but it’s a great help.

「Feudal lord-sama! Are you unharmed?」

「You shot them? Good work.」

The commander smiles at me, then quickly composes himself.

「Arrows don’t work at all so I thought perhaps cannons would…… still, it’s hard to hit a flying enemy.」

The commander looks down, saying how he was nothing but a distraction.

「Leave it to me. The cannonball will launch if you put fire here, right?」

The soldier confirms it when I ask him.

Alright, then just bring a torch and follow me.

「Right…… but the cannon is heavy and needs six people to move-…… eeeeeeh!?」

I drop my warhammer and lift up the cannon onto my shoulder.

There’s no way you can hit a speedy opponent when the cannon is fixed to the pedestal.

You have to aim properly like this and shoot.

「A large cannon, just like that…… eeeeeeh? It should be over 200 kilograms…… eeeeeeeeh!?」

I ignore the hysteric soldiers and walk while carrying the cannon with me.

Hmm, I don’t know if I can get a hit in one try.

「Give me another one.」

I pick up another cannon nearby and carry it on my other shoulder.

I should be able to get a clean hit with two.

The soldiers are still gawking at me but there’s no time to waste right now.

The dragon has probably realized that the cannons aren’t hitting their mark and only making loud sounds.

It lowers in altitude and flies down to burn all the gathered soldiers and citizens.

「Not yet…… not yet……」

「Hiiiih……」

I chase that thing’s movements with the two cannons on my shoulders while a soldier with a flaming stick stands behind me half-crying waiting to light the fuse of my cannons.

I shout as soon as the dragon opens its mouth.

「Now!」

「Hiiiih!」

The soldier simultaneously lights both cannons and a thunderous roar pierces my head from both sides.

This is harsh, I should have plugged my ears with something.

My ears are ringing.

One shell barely grazes the dragon’s wing and misses while the other cannonball accurately hits its face.

The impact makes a metallic sound similar to a hammer hitting an iron plate.

「He did it!」「This is what happens when you attack the feudal lord-sama!」「So we’re saved now!」

The soldiers and citizens cheer happily.

It was definitely a bullseye on that thing’s face as it seems like a lot of blood is flowing out from its destroyed right eye.

However, it isn’t defeated yet.

Hearing that clanking sound means that the cannonball got deflected.

Luckily for us, it happened to destroy one eye, although losing an eye doesn’t mean death for a living creature.

Sure enough, just when we thought the dragon would unsteadily fall from the sky, its left eye springs open and it lets out an angry roar.

「You’re kidding…… it didn’t die」「…… it’s all over now.」

I drop the cannons behind me and grab my warhammer.

The soldiers are slumping their shoulders dejectedly and one woman approaches me.

「Feudal lord-sama, kiss me please. As a final memory.」

It’s an appealing proposal but I turn my back to her and adjust my grip on my warhammer and Dual Crater.

「It’s not over yet. I’ll give you a good licking once I eliminate this monster.」

「But that dragon is immortal……」

I wonder if it’s actually immortal, let’s give this another try.

Has it been five minutes yet?

「Ready yet!?」

「You bet, pal!」

The giant cannon starts moving as the dwarf shouts.

After some heavy-sounding gears and metallic ringing, the large barrel of the giant cannon faces the dragon.

「Bring him directly in front of me!」

「…… don’t ask for the impossible.」

That’s the only way to survive though.

I walk forward and lift both weapons in my hands up high.

With its right eye crushed, the furious dragon opens its mouth and soars toward me to burn me to a cinder

「Bring it on, I’ll smash you to death!」

I run forward, though the giant dragon doesn’t change its course out of fear.

It lets out a cry full of hostility and descends in front of me.

Perhaps it wants to stomp on me after burning me, I guess I’m really hated.

The dragon and I close the distance between us.

Then, I smile just before we were about to clash, dropping to the ground and covering my ears.

I see its remaining left eye doubtfully narrowing at me.

Balbano shouts.

「Urgan, fire!!」

A man-made pillar of fire burst up into the air.

The dwarves operating the cannon were all sent rolling while the soldiers as well as citizens got blown back by the wind pressure and thunderous sound.

The small shed nearby used for storing raw materials shattered from the blast and watchtowers crumbled to the ground.

I could feel the strong gust of wind blow over me while I laid on the ground with my head covered.

And then the hit landed.

There was a resounding metallic sound.

However, it was completely different than the sounds made before.

It sounded like a battering ram tearing through a thin iron plate.

The sound of the roar which reverberated throughout the city was like a loud and undignified, crying child.

「That structure…… i-it was a cannon……?」「My ears……」「I soiled myself……」

As the soldiers and I slowly raised our bodies, our gazes quickly moved to where the dragon was.

The result was as expected.

The giant shell launched by Urgan was slightly off from the center of its body and went straight through the area close to the base of its left arm.

Its entire left arm was cleanly blown off and its left wing was also badly torn.

A large chunk of its abdomen was shaved off, as blood drips from the exposed flesh where its scales and skin got scraped away like a paved road.

Naturally, it was unable to continuing flying and gravity brought the creature down to the ground, creating a large dust of cloud on impact.

As promised, Balbano took away its wing.

Cheers erupt behind me.

But I quickly pick up my weapon and charge forward.

Its wounds are clearly fatal.

No creature could stay alive for long after suffering injuries like that.

However, it wasn’t an instant death.

Despite losing an arm and wing as well as getting a portion of its abdomen gouged out, it can still massacre everyone here with a single breath of fire.

I run past the dust cloud and see that the dragon is trying to get up even after losing an arm, a wing, and leaking blood.

Not to mention I can see the glowing fire in its mouth.

「Everyone, duck!」

Flames surge forward as soon as the words come out of my mouth.

The cheers quickly change into screams.

「I did it once. There’s no reason I can’t do it again.」

I make a vertical slash with my Dual Crater and slice the flames.

I could see the dragon make an astonished expression, then hear a shocked gasp from the citizens behind me.

The flames split, billowing violently to the left and right of me and burning through the structures in its path, but leaving the citizens and soldiers behind me unharmed.

However, because I was probably closer than the previous time, the unimaginable heat burned my arms.

Both are most likely severely burned…… though this isn’t the time to worry about that.

「How disgusting, throwing up so much.」

Advancing even further forward, I thrust my sword inside its mouth, the gateway for the flames.

In exchange for the burn on my face, I feel my sword tear through its tongue.

The flames instantly disappear and the dragon throws its head back in pain.

I’ll finish this now.

I am carried up high along with my Dual Crater still stuck in its tongue, then I climb my way up its head.

The view is nice though I can’t leisurely take my time to enjoy the scenery.

If I get flung back down to the ground, I’ll become a smashed tomato.

In order to deliver a fatal blow, I pull my sword out of its tongue and thrust the Dual Crater at its brain.

But I am met with hard resistance.

「No good, huh.」

I was somehow able to make my way through its scales, but that thing’s skull was too hard for my Dual Crater to penetrate.

Fine, then I’ll do this.

Using the sword which has stabbed all the way to its bone as support, change grip of the handle to my left hand, then I bring out the warhammer with my right hand and swing down towards the top of its head.

No matter how hard its head is, I wonder how well it’ll handle a wallop from a hammer.

Realizing I’m hanging on, the dragon shakes its head wildly in an attempt to get me off.

I hold on tightly to my Dual Crater, whacking the dragon senselessly with my warhammer, gradually recreating the sounds normally heard during construction.

Even so, its scales don’t break.

Fragments continue splintering off the proud dwarven warhammer, the head becoming smaller in size with every hit.

The dragon begins to look unsteady on its feet, but right when I thought all that attacking wasn’t completely ineffective, the creature’s body sways.

「Woah.」

Its body makes a particularly large swing, uprooting my Dual Crater and sending me head first into the ground.

「As if I’ll let myself be smashed!」

As I’m falling, I jab my sword into its scale-covered neck to try and slow the speed of my descent.

Nevertheless, I’m unable to completely reduce the speed, plunging into the ground from a height higher than any place in the city and then get the wind knocked out of me.

I hear an unpleasant crunching sound in my body, probably from breaking two or three ribs.

「Guh……」

Blood rises up from inside me and spills out of my mouth.

I may have sustained several internal injuries too.

That thing should be struggling to even make a single move too.

Its legs are wobbling and its eyes are not focusing properly so I end up disappearing from view when I dropped directly below.

「This is the end.」

With a running start, I make a powerful thrust with the Dual Crater at the dragon’s chest.

I cough up blood after exerting strength.

Even so, this is the decisive blow, I’ll manage with my dying will if I have to.

Half of the blade buries itself into the dragon’s body and red blood sprays back, covering my whole body.

It lets out an agonizing cry.

「I’m not done yet!」

With this thing’s size, I don’t think I reached its heart despite me being showered in enough blood to dye myself red.

And even if I push with all my might while coughing out blood, my Dual Crater won’t go in any further.

「You better not break on me……」

I’d rather not take any headbutts from Nonna.

I leave my Dual Crater stuck in its body and wield the tattered warhammer with both hands.

「Uooooooh!」

I spin with the warhammer, building up the centrifugal force before slamming the head into the handle of the Dual Crater.

It was just slightly, but it felt like the sword slid in a bit more into the dragon’s body.

There was a brief moment of silence, and then like a dam was broken, a tremendous amount of blood sprays out.

Its heart was certainly pierced this time.

There was so much blood flowing out over me that it was hard to breathe; it was literally a sea of blood.

Blegh, it got in my mouth.

It really feels like I’ll drown.

Its dying cry was soft and shrill.

After the long and feeble shriek, the dragon slowly collapses to its side and dies.

I confirm the still, white eyes of the dragon before pulling the Dual Crater out from its chest.

As expected of the legendary treasured sword, it didn’t bend or break.

I lightly touch my body, checking the severity of my injuries.

It doesn’t look like any more blood will come out even if I tense up.

「It’s over.」

Cheers explode from those who were watching.

The soldiers shout.

「I can’t believe it! He defeated the giant dragon by himself!」「Am I looking at a hero from a fictional story!?」

「I haven’t heard of anything like this even from the troubadours!」「I could probably change jobs to a storyteller and live off this legend!」

The praise is nice, but the city needs to be cleaned up.

And also don’t change jobs or I’ll be in need of more guards.

Balbano shouts.

「Did you see that, you people!? Our Urgan and our good pal defeated the dragon.」

「Uooooooooh!」「Bring in the booze, we’ll drink till we drop to celebrate!」「We’ll drink until spring comes!」

There would have been nothing I could have done without the giant cannon.

I can at least let them drink freely.

But if you guys drink until spring, all the alcohol in Goldonia will disappear.

It was the girls’ turn to speak.

「You protected us by cutting fire.」「You’re the hero who single-handedly killed a dragon.」「What a strong man……」

The passionate gazes of the women fixate on me.

If you look at me like that, I’ll get hard.

「I want to be embraced, I want to be embraced by that person.」「Just thinking about being embraced by such an amazing man is enough to get you wet.」

「I…… want to give birth to that man’s children. Even though I’m married……」

Hmm, I’ll leave the cleanup to the soldiers while I take care of comforting these girls.

But first, I need to see if my own girls are unharmed…….

「Master~」「Aegir-sama!」

Celia and Leah run toward me.

I see Claire and the others behind them.

Oh good, they’re all safe.

「I don’t know what to say. Aegir-sama is a hero who will be talked about for the next hundred of years!」

「Yeah!」

The two girls clinging tightly to me seem to look flushed and their eyes are somewhat moist.

They hugged me without hesitation even though I’m covered in dragon’s blood.

「Did you fall for me all over again?」

「「Of course!」」

Good girls, we’ll have a fun time tonight.

I’ll give out some orders first.

「Extinguish the fires immediately and save the citizens. Rescue the injured and let them get treatment. I’ll cover all the medical costs so let the doctor know that there’s no need to hold back with using medicine. ……prioritize the females especially.」

The soldiers salute neatly and swiftly scatter in different directions.

They’re pretty obedient.

There aren’t too many wooden houses in the city of Lintbloom so the fire hasn’t spread too far, and because there are often accidents in the mine they’re used to dealing with multiple wounded people.

They’ll manage somehow.

「Aegir-sama is the heroic dragon slayer…… how lovely.」

「Master is my hero and now he’s become everybody’s hero.」

There, there, cuties.

「Scales capable of deflecting even cannonballs…… and bones…… and skin…… so much money……」

Claire seems to be distraught from this dragon incident too.

Her thoughts are leaking out more than usual.

Realizing I was staring at her, Claire puts her memo away and hugs my arm, pressing her breasts against me.

「Ufufu, I’ve fallen in love with the Margrave again too.」

Umu, good.

I’ll be counting on you at night.

Now, I’ve done all that I can.

Gido is beat up, but no one in the family was severely injured.

It’s a passing grade for now……

It feels like I’m forgetting something though.

「Hmm, am I forgetting something?」

「Eh? What could it be?」

Celia seems surprised.

「Hmmm, I can’t seem to put a finger on it……」

If Celia can’t think of what it is, maybe it’s just my imagination.

「More importantly, let’s clean your body. I also have to check for any injuries.」

Oh yeah, I can’t find the burns on both my arms and face.

I was prepared for heavy burns.

I give my supposedly broken ribs a light tap and it doesn’t seem to hurt either.

I definitely heard a cracking sound though.

Oh well, being wrong about an injury is probably a good thing.

I’ll have some fun with the girls after I take a bath.

I can probably get a few girls in the city to sleep with me while this whole ‘beating a dragon’ thing is still a hot topic.

It wasn’t until the morning of the next day that Christoph came back to the inn.

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett. 23 years old. Late Autumn.

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Margrave. Great Feudal Lord of Eastern Area. King of the Mountains. Rose Friend of the Dwarves. Friend of the King of Aless. Dragon Slayer Hero.

Citizens: 171,950. Major Cities – Rafen: 24,000. Lintbloom: 4950. Vandolea Special Town: 9000.

Celia (charmed), Leah (charmed), Claire (charmed, ￥ ), Laurie (charmed), Gido (injured), Christoph ()

Schwartz (sexually excited)

Assets: 1840 gold (Extra Medical Fee -600)

Sexual Partners: 234, children who have been born: 54 + 555 fish