Chapter 23: Thunder and Fire
The monstrous creature slowly writhed. Beneath its coiling body, the Barbarian’s limbs were engorged with blood, veins bulging grotesquely, his face twisted in a mask of agonized torment—yet life had already fled his eyes.
"Such a bore."
A raspy voice echoed again.
It curled its massive frame, jaws unhinging wide, preparing to swallow this "delicacy" in one gulp.
The sight of a living person being devoured sent a fresh wave of shock through the crowd—but now, they had nowhere left to run. Their minds were numb, their wills broken.
"Scar... rest in peace."
"Though this painful end is fitting for all the sins you've committed."
Hart watched his loyal companion, who had stood by him for over a decade, die in disgrace. He could do nothing. Only grit his teeth, whisper prayers under his breath, hoping—praying—that he might escape this hell.
A drop of water fell from above. He raised a hand to wipe it away—yet something felt wrong. It wasn’t cold sweat. Nor tears. It was hot. Sweat, born of heat.
Why… is it so hot in here?
A flicker of doubt stirred in his mind. Earlier, consumed by panic and flight, he hadn’t noticed. But now, as he paused, the chamber felt like a giant steamer, waves of oppressive heat rising from above.
Instinctively, Hart looked up.
And his mouth fell open in stunned disbelief.
A creature over eight meters long suddenly emerged atop the Rock Wall.
It was a dragon.
But what shocked him even more was the blinding, yellow-white fire gathering in its maw—a miniature sun that lit the entire Mine Shaft like midday.
Human and monster alike froze, heads snapping upward, eyes wide with horror.
Then, silence.
A voice rang out from above the shaft.
"Got you."
Kai Xiusu unleashed his pent-up Fire Breath in an instant—his body instantly drained of nearly all its power.
"Extreme Flame Breath!"
A pillar of fire descended from the sky, blazing white at its core, flaring crimson at the edges.
Boom!
The thunderous explosion shattered the air. The coiled monster shrieked in agony.
The scorching heat warped the very atmosphere. It writhed desperately within the inferno, trying to flee—but the flames clung like firestorms, searing through its flesh.
Its famed armored scales melted away in an instant, reduced to charred remnants.
"Despicable Dragon!"
"You cowardly sneak!"
It roared, voice hoarse with rage, struggling against the fire.
The breath lasted several heartbeats—until the creature finally slithered into the darkness, vanishing into the shadows.
"Even survived that… impressive," Kai Xiusu murmured, eyes fixed on the dark recesses of the shaft. "That thing’s tough."
"Twinned Light Dance!"
A series of glowing beams shot from the Red Dragon’s claws, slicing across different directions—illuminating the deepest corners of the Mine Shaft.
Suddenly, the entire cavern blazed with light. No more hiding places.
And for the first time, the monster’s true form was revealed.
It was colossal—nearly eighteen meters long, a grotesque fusion of centipede and crocodile. Along its flanks, twelve pairs of powerful legs stretched out, each one a nightmare to behold.
Now, however, it was a wreck. Most of its scales had been burned off. Great chunks of flesh were blackened and blistered, oozing smoke.
The Red Dragon locked eyes with the beast, a wild thrill dancing across his face—pure predator’s hunger.
> [Based on your own strength, you can perceive the following:]
> Green-Footed Dragon Snake-Mana
> Type: Massive Beast, Neutral Evil
> Armor Class: 18 (Natural Armor)
> Speed: 50 ft., climb 40 ft.
> Strength: 23
> Dexterity: 16
> Constitution: 18
> Intelligence: 7
> Wisdom: 14
> Charisma: 12
> Skill Proficiencies: Perception +6, Stealth +7, Hunting +4
> Senses: Darkvision 90 ft., Passive Perception 16
> Damage Immunity: Lightning
> Languages: Common Tongue, Dragon Tongue
> Actions: Lightning Breath, Multiattack, Constrict, Bite, Swallow
> Traits: Cave Predator, Dragon’s Enemy
> Challenge Rating: 11 (7,200 Experience Points)
>
> Assessment: "The Green-Footed Dragon Snake slithers across ground and walls, hunting prey. Its Lightning Breath can incinerate most creatures. Even stronger foes are crushed by its coils and swallowed whole."
>
> Verdict: "A terrifying opponent." — Kai Xiusu
The monster—no, the Green-Footed Dragon Snake—had no choice now. Its hiding was exposed. It abandoned stealth altogether.
"A young Dragon Sorcerer?"
"How… peculiar."
Its serpentine eyes fixed on the Red Dragon—burning not just with fury over the ambush, but with a deep, ancestral hatred passed down through bloodlines from forgotten ancient times, when giants and dragons waged endless war.
Legend said the Storm Giants had crafted the first Green-Footed Dragon Snake as a weapon to counter the dragons. Thus, the beast retained an instinctive, blood-deep enmity toward dragons—and even now, its heritage carried methods to counter giants.
Seeing the monster severely wounded, the Red Dragon pressed forward without mercy.
"Scorching Beam!"
Flame Rays shot forth from his maw, lancing through the air.
Though injured, the Green-Footed Dragon Snake moved with surprising speed—its twelve legs scrambling up the Rock Wall with agile precision. It twisted and dodged left and right, evading two rapid-fire beams with inhuman reflexes.
But the third beam struck.
The searing Flame Ray tore open its hide, flaying flesh from bone. The creature screamed in agony, blood and smoke pouring from the wound.
Enraged, it reared up—its mouth gathering a blinding, crackling storm of lightning.
"Lightning Breath!"
A torrent of lightning erupted—each bolt the size of a bowl, capable of reducing most beings to ash in an instant. Far more potent than the Red Dragon’s single Arcane Bolt.
Kai Xiusu knew he couldn’t dodge it all. He leapt sideways—while simultaneously activating Metamagic Mastery to cast instantly.
"Instant Shield Spell!"
A shimmering, invisible barrier flared before him—blocking part of the onslaught.
But the lightning was too furious. The barrier shattered like glass.
Several bolts struck him directly.
A jolt of raw electricity surged through his scales, ripping through his skin and coursing through his body. His muscles convulsed violently. Several scales blackened and cracked from the charge.
But the Red Dragon endured—his Constitution, innate and fierce, holding firm.
Had this been a human? They’d have been reduced to charcoal, internal organs ruptured, bones shattered.
"Damn… that breath was brutal. If I’d taken it all… I’d be crippled."
Kai Xiusu winced, his body trembling slightly. He licked his lips—tasting copper, pain, and something else.
A thrill.
There was a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Long time since I tasted the taste of injury."
Since arriving in this world, aside from that frantic flight at the beginning, he’d rarely faced an opponent even close to his level. After all, the Red Dragon’s starting power already surpassed the peak of most creatures.
Now—finally—someone had stirred that long-dormant fire within him.
A real challenge.
And that was rare.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
