Taking cover behind a large rock, Archer dismissed his Draconic Form and settled down to enjoy a well-deserved meal of coconut cream breadfruit.
As he savored each delicious bite, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him, knowing that he had successfully completed his mission and could finally relax for a moment.
He loved the new food, savoring it slowly.
As soon as he finished his meal, he received a frantic notification from his Aura Detector.
Without hesitation, he quickly activated Blink vanishing from the spot and reappearing ten meters away.
Turning around, he saw spells hitting the spot where he had just been.
Suddenly, he spun around on his heels and took off sprinting in the opposite direction as a fresh wave of slayers emerged.
Feeling his body getting stronger and faster with each use of Blink.
Getting ahead of them Archer turned around.
Smiling as he began to cast loads of Plasma Missiles.
Violet-colored missiles appeared around him.
Thinking about striking the closest slayers, Archer launched the missiles toward them.
His thoughts guided the missiles like homing devices, tracking their targets with deadly precision.
Some of the slayers managed to dodge, but four of them got hit, sending them flying backward.
As he fled, the slayers fired another blast, catching him off guard.
The impact was so powerful that it sent him hurtling back toward the castle, his body hurtling through the air like a bullet.
He crashed to the ground a mile away from where he was, his body wracked with pain.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, spitting out blood as he did so.
Despite his unsteady legs and the pain that wracked his body, he shook his head and turned towards the castle, determined to complete his mission no matter what.
However, as soon as he began to walk, the slayers arrived.
He slowly started to count them and noted that there were 17 men and women standing before him.
They appeared battle-ready, weapons at the ready, and their eyes fixed on their young opponent.
However, he refused to back down, standing tall and proud.
Archer's determination was evident in his gaze as he locked eyes with them, took a deep breath, and readied himself for the fight of his life.
As he stood there, he overheard one of the men's hushed conversations.
"How is it possible for him to be a master at that age?" one slayer asked.
"The old slayer tomes say that white dragons level up much quicker than any other race. They also acquire something called points, which they can use to become even stronger. You see, they have three names: cosmic dragons, mana dragons, and white dragons. Their entire existence is tied to the world's mana.''
"Why don't we drain his mana? That should kill him, right?" she asked.
The second slayer replied, "It won't work. White dragons can passively gather mana from the world, making them really overpowered. We're lucky to have found one so young. The last one was hidden away until he came of age and was released onto the world."
The man and woman nodded in agreement before the second slayer finished his impromptu lesson.
"They are capable of rallying all dragon kind to their banner. Most kingdoms and empires would do anything to have them on their side. The last dragon king had 22 wives, all princesses from different parts of the world, bringing most of the powerful kingdoms under their banner."
The leader silenced the chatter and turned to Archer.
"I am Hephorus, the commander of the northern dragon slayers. Surrender, and we will ensure that you don't suffer boy," he said sternly.
Archer stared at him while smirking.
"Fuck you, idiot! Like I'd surrender to you."
His laughter filled the air as he activated his Draconic Form.
"Draconis," he whispered.
All of his features appeared, he flexed his wings and claws as he cast Blink, vanishing from his spot and reappearing behind the first two slayers.
With lightning-fast reflexes, he struck at one with his tail as he fired a Plasma Missile at the other.
Although the first slayer was able to block his tail strike, it quickly stuck again, piercing the man's chest
Before he could do it again, the rest of the slayers rushed at him.
As they did, he threw the corpse at the incoming slayers and instantly cast Call Lightning.
Raising his hands towards the sky, dark clouds began to gather above them.
The air grew heavy with electricity, and the sound of distant thunder rumbled over the desert.
Suddenly, a bolt of violet lightning shot down from the clouds, striking the ground with a deafening crack.
The slayers, taken aback by the sudden display of power, began to back off, giving Archer the opening he needed.
He quickly fired a barrage of Plasma Missiles at them, each one exploding with a bright flash of light and a deafening boom.
With the slayers momentarily distracted, Archer charged forward, his body crackling with electricity as he ran.
His body moved with such speed and agility that he appeared as a blur of motion.
In a swift motion, he unleashed a devastating Eldritch Blast that left his enemies reeling.
The explosive force of the blast sent the slayers hurtling backward, their bodies contorting in agony as they fought to regain their footing.
Despite the intense pain, they refused to give up, their determination to complete their mission driving them forward even in the face of such overwhelming adversity.
Some of them didn't even make it to their feet before Archer turned around and began running.
As he passed by a road, he caught sight of Yahir's caravan in the distance but rushed by it without stopping, not wanting to involve them.
He was heading towards the port city of Sunhaven, hoping to lose the slayers on the way.
While running north, he fired Elemental Bolts and Plasma Missiles at the remaining 13 slayers.
Archer started spamming Blink, gaining a healthy lead on his pursuers.
He kept turning around as he cast even more spells, managing to whittle the slayers down to eight people, but still got hit by a Slayer Blast.
Seeing it coming, he quickly cast Cosmic Shield to protect himself, but it didn't hold up as they fired another at him.
The only reason he managed to keep running and stay on his feet was due to his constant use of Blink, which strengthened his body.
Using his wings, he deflected the attacks to the left, but as he did, he felt someone running towards him. When he looked, he saw two of the slayers running towards him.
Archer and the slayer wielding a great sword eyed each other cautiously, claws and sword poised for action.
The slayer was a formidable opponent, his massive sword gleaming in the moonlight as he swung it back and forth.
He dodged the first few blows, his own claws flashing as he struck back.
The two fighters traded blows, each one trying to gain the upper hand.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind Archer, he turned just in time to see the slayer wielding the Warhammer charging at him.
He barely had time to react before the slayer's hammer connected with his side, sending him flying through the air.
Archer landed hard on the ground, his breath knocked out of him.
Lifting his head to see a slayer wielding a war hammer was already upon him, swinging his weapon down with deadly force.
He managed to roll out of the way just in time, narrowly avoiding the blow.
Struggling to rise to his feet, Archer instinctively slashed at the slayer who had just attacked him.
His eyes frantically scanned the battlefield, searching for any opening he could exploit.
Despite the enemy closing in on him with their weapons poised for attack, Archer refused to surrender.
With a sharp eye, he spotted a path leading north and quickly activated Cosmic Step, disappearing from view.
When Archer reappeared, he had already made his way behind the enemy and was sprinting away.
"He's running again!" one of the remaining slayers shouted, and they gave chase.
Despite their initial success in keeping up with him, Archer gradually began to outpace them.
Just as he thought he had lost them, one of the slayers started to cast a spell while running after him, conjuring a massive ball of water and launching it in his direction.
The water sphere hurtled towards Archer's back, but he managed to dodge it by diving to the right.
However, his relief was short-lived as he realized his mistake.
Archer had left himself vulnerable to a Slayer Blast, which hit him with such force that it broke bones and sent him flying through the air.
As he soared over the road packed with carriages, Archer's body tumbled and twisted, his mind racing to regain control.
Finally, he came crashing down next to a large lake behind a dune just off the road, his body buried deeper into the sand by another blast that hit him.
Struggling to focus, Archer's vision blurred and his head spun as he attempted to rise to his feet.
But as he tried to move, he realized that his right shoulder was immobile and his left arm wouldn't budge.
He knew he was in bad shape.
Despite his injuries, he managed to get to his knees and spotted the eight slayers sliding down the dune towards him.
With a heavy heart, he dismissed his Draconis features and slumped down as the man approached him with a sneer.
"We've finally caught you, little dragon," the captor taunted, his voice dripping with malice.
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]