Chapter 875

Chapter 875

“What do you mean, you realized something—?”

“Kiruruk, Kirut—!”

“Oh! A little one shooting poison darts~? 〈Blue Hurricane〉.”

Lark ignored Shin Nara’s question and swung his sword.

The speed of the poison darts was fast, but not beyond Lark’s ability to dodge.

Moreover, Shin Nara was able to avoid them just by hearing the sound without even looking.

*Whoosh────!*

The blue mana particles that were at the tip of Lark’s sword instantly unleashed their power.

In the cave, where not even a breeze was felt, the suddenly surging blue storm tore another Guardian monster’s limbs apart.

Even Shin Nara, who had been trying to probe the meaning of Lark’s words, was momentarily speechless due to its power.

“Was it always this powerful?”

Lark couldn’t properly answer Shin Nara’s question.

He stared at his sword with a slightly emotional look, even biting his lower lip.

“Indeed... Indeed. I couldn’t tell from the usual tests, but now it’s clear.”

“Sorry?”

“Not only is its strength improved, but the casting time is also reduced. Although it consumes a bit more mana, the cooldown is shorter!”

“Oh my, does that mean—”

“Yes. At least, it means that the direction is correct! We’ve nailed it, Nara-ssi! We’ve nailed the strategy for hunting the Chromatic Dragon! With this proven Blue, we just need to kill the rest, all of them!”

Lark sheathed his sword with a lighthearted gesture and clasped Shin Nara’s hands. Moving along with Lark’s rhythm, her body swayed as well.

She didn’t try to shake off his hands.

Instead, she could only speak in a timid voice without meeting his eyes.

“My, my hand...”

“Hand? Oh, my apologies! It was improper of me to hold a lady’s hand without permission.”

Feeling more excited than ever, Lark felt slightly embarrassed. He calmed his emotions and bowed toward Shin Nara.

“I hope you will continue to join me on my journey.”

It was like the courteous gesture of a knight addressing a lady of medieval times.

Even though Shin Nara’s appearance resembled more of a knight than a lady, her heart couldn’t help but flutter.

How many people had seen her, always so rambunctious, as a ‘woman’ like this?

『There is no need to worry about that. Your journey ends here.』

“What?”

The one who responded was not Shin Nara.

“L-Lark!”

With just two steps, Shin Nara took a position beside Lark. Lark, who was showing his cool side with a bowed head, was utterly perplexed.

He had been waiting for her to recognize the seriousness hidden within his jest.

He was overjoyed to have finally begun unraveling the clues for his second job change, and he had barely mustered the courage to make his feelings known.

‘To receive a reply from a dragon, of all things. Ah, this is disappointing.’

Lifted by a weakly swinging sword, Lark’s face showed signs of fatigue.

Shin Nara tried to touch his shoulder to encourage him, but instead, she erected her sword again.

“Lark.”

“Yes?”

“It’s not just your journey. When that journey ends...”

Shin Nara began to move.

The attitude of the green dragon towards the ‘two humans’, worth less than one meal, was utterly lackadaisical.

Despite the fact that they had killed a few Guardians, he couldn’t fathom them being a real threat.

Shin Nara’s movements exploited the gap in the Adult Dragon AI’s thinking.

“〈Balestra〉, 〈Coup Droit〉!”

To Lark, it seemed as if her body had ‘stretched’.

From the tip of the sword extended by her stretched arm to the left foot stepping forward in a perfect line.

At the end of her seamless movement, her sword lightly pierced the green dragon’s ankle.

『Gyaaaaaaah—!』

The green dragon roared in response to the sudden attack.

As the wail filled the cave, Shin Nara shouted with all her might.

“It’s because my journey has to go on too!”

While more than half of her shout drowned in the din, Lark understood her words clearly.

“Shall we do it?”

The giant and human did not avoid each other’s gaze. It was this very fact that infuriated those present.

“...... To have such composure in front of us.”

“It’s absurd.”

The eyebrows of the Silver Dragon, Arzenmacht, and the Bronze Dragon, Blaugrunn, twitched.

They were at the northernmost part of Shazrashian, near the Kalbaram Mountains, near the entrance to Peklo City.

Several vampires and large monsters launched a surprise attack, but Ram Hwajung and her party responded calmly.

“Blaugrunn! Let’s switch. I can’t handle just guarding.”

“No need. Zelreja, just block the entrance.”

Though the entrance to Peklo City was firmly sealed by the Snow and Ice Spirit Queen, they could not be certain it had blocked all enemies.

Thus, Blaugrunn insisted that at least one dragon must guard the entrance, and as a result, a dragon in human form was now crouching before it.

“Look at that human brat! Look at that sword! It looks like my tail! It ticks me off! I want to destroy it!”

Her hair, a color slightly darker than Arzenmacht’s silver, was similar. However, the color was that of an unrefined iron ore, a deeper tone than silver.

With her ponytail tied tight and her active attire, she was clearly a physical-type dragon, unlike Arzenmacht or Blaugrunn.

“How can the Steel Dragon feel bad watching a sword!”

“Hmm. Blaugrunn is right.”

Interested in all things made of iron, she was a kind of Steel Dragon known for overseeing all bladed weapons. Yet her words were much lighter than steel.

“Ugh! Just do it well! Blaugrunn, you’ve always been weak at finishing tasks! Arzenmacht, have you become too complacent partnering with that human kid? Hey, kid! Switch with me!”

Ram Hwajung did not even snort as she watched the impetuous woman shake her ponytail and spit out vehement words.

“Are you ignoring me, human?”

“...... Noisy.”

“N-noisy? Did you just call me noisy? Do you think I’ll let you off because you are a human girl!?”

“Ugh... like an older sister.”

Ram Hwajung shook her head.

Though Pyro and Igor were certainly formidable foes, neither Arzenmacht, Blaugrunn, nor Ram Hwajung was lacking in composure.

This team made a mistake in not considering the full picture.

If Leeha were here, they might have thought more deeply.

Three dragons and a top-ranking human were present, yet only Igor and Pyro showed up. Despite this, those two did not rush?

They soon found the answer to that question.

Click, click, click.

“Cluck-cluck, I agree with the girl. You’ve almost reached Ancient status, yet you’re this noisy.”

A figure with a Bluebeard walked with a staff.

Arzenmacht glared at him sharply.

“...... Le.”

Ram Hwajung also grabbed Arzenmacht’s sleeve from his side.

This place was suitable for revenge from the perpetual snow mountain, but neither moved easily.

“Le?! Le is really here? Bluebeard?”

“This is the first time someone has gotten tired of my name. Yes, my name is Le. Zelreja.”

Steel Dragon Zelreja, who had been reacting excessively, looked surprised.

As soon as Bluebeard mentioned her name, Zelreja’s expression changed instantly.

“Do I look like Zelreja to you, Le?”

────...!!!!

A flash of light burst forth.

Pyro and Igor turned their heads, hearing Bluebeard muttering curses.

“Damn. That crazy old man.”

* * *

Bluebeard lifted his hat slightly as a gesture of courtesy.

Of course, everyone knew it was just a performance devoid of sincerity.

“Do you find this amusing? Cluck-cluck, the metal dragon clan has it tough, serving an old king.”

“Why speak so harshly? It’s just a simple joke. Isn’t it better to live young?”

The Platinum Dragon Bahamut retained his composure even under Le’s provocation.

Bluebeard glanced around with slow, light movements.

To think that the one blocking the entrance to Peklo City was Bahamut. Realizing he had been deceived, anger flickered in Le’s eyes.

Bahamut smiled as he noticed this.