https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-652-Siege-and-the-Two-Headed-Dragon/13677501/
Chapter 653: Brutal Combat
“Damned Evil Dragon!”
Bren couldn’t dodge in time—Dragon Flame struck him square, a searing tongue of fire ravaging his body, burning his skin black. The surroundings had turned into a sea of flames.
Yet, the Legendary Dwarf Warrior, fueled by sheer endurance, pushed through the inferno, dragging his greatsword forward. He burst from the firestorm, rolled violently across the ground, extinguishing the flames clinging to his frame.
Now, the Dwarf was utterly charred—his body a canvas of blackened scars, his hair and beard reduced to ash. But he didn’t falter. Instead, he slowly rose to his feet, unyielding.
Bren stared at the distant Wyvern, raised his greatsword, and pointed its tip directly at the dragon’s head. His voice boomed like thunder:
“Come on, then! Let us settle this with a merciful end! I’ve slain true dragons before—your kind are nothing more than oversized crawlers!”
“ROOOOAAARRR!”
Smaug roared in furious agony. Golden vertical pupils flared, nearly jetting forth molten fire. His dragon scales flared open like a furnace, spewing scorching white smoke as if his very body were about to burst.
“You insolent dwarf! I am the favored of the great Red Dragon, a Two-Headed Dragon whose blood carries the same ash-born lineage as yours!”
The words struck a raw nerve.
With wisdom, strength, and status growing, this Dragon Leader had grown increasingly ashamed of his “inferior bloodline.” He despised being anything less than a true dragon.
But under the gift of the Emperor of the Ashen Flame’s ancestral bloodline, Smaug’s lineage had transcended its limitations. His blood was now purer, more noble than that of even the White Dragon—superior in power to any dragon of his age.
To call him the most powerful and massive Wyvern of the Third Era was no exaggeration.
Seeing the Wyvern’s wrath, Bren pressed the provocation even harder, roaring with defiance:
“A mindless beast is a beast—no matter how large, you’ll never become a true dragon! Hahaha! Howl! Summon your Emperor! Only he is worthy to face me! As for you—you’re not even worth the effort! Do you hear me? I’ll behead that Red Dragon and hang his skull upon Aivendeldan’s city walls!”
He wanted to drive the Dragon Blood Monster into blind rage, to shatter its reason—only then could he find its weak point and strike it down in one fatal blow.
“Foolish dwarf! How dare you insult His Majesty!”
The thunderous roar echoed across the city wall. Enraged beyond measure, Smaug slammed his wings down, launching into the sky. Flames rained from the heavens as he dove toward Bren, a storm of fire descending upon the earth.
“Boom!”
Smaug opened his bloody maw and unleashed a torrent of intense dragonfire. The flame engulfed the city wall beneath, instantly vaporizing the dwarf soldiers defending it—men scattered in panic, fleeing like leaves in a storm.
Thick smoke enveloped the battlefield. Flames roared with unrelenting fury. A scorching gale surged forward, sparks flying in every direction. The world before Bren turned into a chaotic ocean of gray, black, and orange—chaos incarnate.
But the Dwarf warrior showed no fear. With one hand gripping his greatsword, he stood tall, eyes locked on the oncoming Wyvern, roaring:
“Come on, you damn filth! You’ll never defeat a Dwarf warrior!”
As Smaug closed in, Bren leapt high, planting his foot firmly on the city wall. Using the wall as a springboard, he soared into the air, avoiding the dragon’s breath while delivering a devastating mid-air slash with his greatsword.
Jumping Slash!
Again—another Jumping Slash!
According to the Dwarf Warrior’s experience, this technique was the most effective against colossal monsters. It always delivered a decisive strike to these titanic entities.
“HAAAAAA!”
Bren roared at the top of his lungs, his greatsword tearing through the air with unstoppable momentum, aimed straight at the Wyvern’s head.
But though Smaug lacked the flexible forelimbs of a true dragon, he still possessed massive limbs wrapped in wing membranes.
“Swish—”
Smaug snapped his wings open, unleashing a blistering gale that sent his body violently retreating. At the same time, his bloody maw snapped open mid-air, blazing light erupting from his throat. A torrent of searing fire erupted—directly at the airborne Dwarf.
Bren reacted instantly, shifting his stance. He thrust the greatsword forward, using it as a shield to block the dual dragon breath. But the force sent him tumbling back through the air.
Smaug didn’t miss his chance. He intensified the breath while whipping his thick tail in a brutal arc.
“Spines—!”
A sharp, piercing sound cut through the air. The tail’s toxic hook, barbed with Wyvern venom, shot toward the falling Dwarf. That neurotoxin could knock out even an earth-crawling dragon beast. Even a Legendary-level Dwarf would feel its effects.
Faced with the flying tail hook, Bren clenched his teeth. He abandoned defense—ignoring the searing fire—and swung the greatsword with all his might toward the side.
“Clang!”
Metal met metal in a thunderous clash. Bren deflected the tail hook, then used the recoil from the impact to pivot mid-air, dodging the fire blast.
“Boom!”
The Dwarf’s massive body crashed into the city wall. Stone shattered. Dust and smoke exploded outward. A gaping hole formed in the wall.
“ROOOOAR!”
A deafening roar split the sky. Smaug folded his wings, extended his razor-sharp hind claws, and began his descent from above—aiming to crush the Dwarf buried in the rubble.
This Wyvern followed Kai Xiusu’s teachings. He knew the value of seizing the moment, of finishing off a wounded enemy swiftly. Unlike some game bosses, he didn’t waste time grooming scales or licking claws.
With a sharp crack of splitting air, Smaug plummeted from the sky, his massive body crashing into the wall with terrifying force.
But Bren wasn’t trapped. He had been waiting—ambushed within the very hole he’d created. Clutching his greatsword, muscles taut, he was ready to strike.
At the precise moment Smaug rammed into the wall, Bren’s black iron greatsword erupted from the dust cloud—aimed straight at the Wyvern’s belly.
“Boom!”
The city wall collapsed under the impact. Smaug’s charge reduced it to rubble. Bren dodged the shockwave—but still was thrown backward, his grip trembling, his knuckles aching, nearly dropping the weapon.
He barely managed to grab the outer edge of the wall, saving himself from plummeting into Aivendeldan below.
“Damn it… how is this possible?!”
Bren’s mind reeled. He’d struck with all his strength—directly at the Wyvern’s belly—but the blow had been blocked by its scales. His hand numbed, but the dragon showed no reaction. Not even a scratch on its outer defenses.
The Dwarf warrior didn’t know it—but as the Empire’s Dragon Leader, Smaug’s vulnerable belly was inscribed with multiple protective spells.
And thanks to Kai Xiusu’s ancestral dragon blood, his scales had become even harder than those of a normal dragon.
“ROOOOAAARRR!”
Smaug roared again, like a bulldozer, plowing through the ruins, charging toward the Dwarf clinging to the wall’s edge.
How can this dwarf still be alive after so many attacks? He’s like a rotten stone—impossible to break!
Smaug exhaled a regiment of sulfur-scented white smoke, fury boiling in his chest, yet surprise flickered beneath.
Even within the Empire, few could withstand a full breath attack from a Dragon Leader. Fewer still could fight him on equal terms.
Seeing the Two-Headed Dragon charge again, Bren lunged with one arm, flipping himself up onto the wall. He darted across the crumbling surface, agile and nimble, dodging the Wyvern’s claws and massive tail strikes.
Thus began another brutal, desperate engagement—two warriors locked in a dance of fury and shock, each astonished by the other’s resilience.
“Clang!”
The greatsword struck the tail again—but only left a shallow white scratch. The Wyvern remained untouched.
“This beast’s scales are too hard. I must find its weak point… or I’ll never defeat it.”
Bren dodged another searing flame, teeth gritted, mind racing.
In the chaos of battle, he studied the Wyvern’s form.
Then—when Smaug spread his wings and let out a long, thunderous roar—Bren’s keen eyes caught it: a missing scale on the Wyvern’s left chest.
And right there—where the heart should be—was an exposed, vulnerable patch.
Eyes blazing with hope, Bren locked onto the gap.
If I strike that exposed spot… pierce the heart… this Wyvern is finished!
But he knew—hitting such a tiny target in the middle of a raging battle was near impossible. And even if he succeeded, the Wyvern might become alert before he could deliver a killing blow.
Then—Steel Crossbow.
The word flashed in Bren’s mind.
Dwarf steel crossbows were designed for hunting giants. This was the perfect weapon against a Wyvern. And the crossbow was already loaded with specialized dragon-hunting arrows—cross-shaped heads, forged for penetration.
Decision made.
Bren resolved to break free from the battlefield, reach the hidden arrow tower, and use the steel crossbow to deliver the final, decisive shot.
“ROOOOAAARRR!”
Smaug unleashed another torrent of fire, demolishing the wall in front of him. He rampaged through Aivendeldan, charging toward the Dwarf warrior once more.
But this time, Bren smirked. With a swift, agile movement, he slipped through the narrow turret entrance—vanishing from the Wyvern’s sight.
“Coward!”
“Damned dwarf, come out!”
Fueled by rage, Smaug thrashed his tail, smashing the wall again and again. Massive chunks of brick and stone exploded outward. He tore through the ruins, mindless and frenzied.
“Boom!”
A deafening crash. The turret Bren had just entered collapsed into dust and rubble. But the Dwarf was gone—no trace remained.
Thanks to his intimate knowledge of Aivendeldan’s walls, Bren had slipped through a hidden passage, escaping the collapsing structure and reaching the arrow tower where the steel crossbow lay.
After his rampage, Smaug still couldn’t find him. He stood atop the ruins, roaring to the sky:
“Dwarf! If I can’t find you, then your people will pay the price!”
Spreading his wings, he ascended, his aura blazing as he swept toward the dwarf defenders still clinging to the city wall.
Smaug dove along the wall, mouth open—intense dragonfire spewing forth, turning the dwarf-held sections into a sea of flames.
“No!”
“Everywhere is fire!”
“Damn monsters! I’ll die with you—I’ll take you with me!”
Smoke choked the air. Flames danced wildly. The defenders screamed in agony, trapped in the inferno, their cries swallowed by the firestorm. They burned—reduced to ash.
Smaug circled the southwestern wall, weaving through the smoke, casting his monstrous shadow like a god of death. He claimed life after life with every breath of fire.
“Dwarf! Hide in your fortress like a mouse! I’ll burn every comrade, every family—I’ll turn every last one of you to ash!”
Whispers of death echoed across the walls. Smaug roared in ecstasy, unleashing fire after fire.
“I am fire. I am death.”
This was no longer Kai Xiusu’s command. This was Smaug’s own heart—unleashed, raw, and savage.
Within the Empire’s rigid order, the Dragon Leader had lived in comfort, with every need met. But his instinct for destruction, for mass slaughter, had always been suppressed—buried beneath restraint.
Now, in this siege, he finally let it loose. He burned Aivendeldan. He reveled in the dwarves’ screams of agony. And he felt alive.
“You filthy monster! I’m here! Your opponent is me!”
A familiar voice rang out from afar.
Smaug spun, eyes blazing. There, atop a distant turret, stood Bren—roaring, waving, his voice filled with fury.
Hearing the cries of his kin in the sea of flames, Bren felt a rage unlike any before. He would burn the world if he had to—just to make this monster pay in blood.
Beside him stood a finely crafted Dwarf steel crossbow. The bolt bed was already loaded with a black arrow—its cross-shaped head forged for dragon-slaying.
Enemies meeting—eyes red with hatred.
“ROOOOAAARRR!”
Smaug let out a furious snarl. He abandoned the fleeing dwarves, spread his wings wide, and shot toward the distant turret.
Fire and smoke roared behind him—like a cataclysm descending upon the earth.
In that moment, Smaug’s only thought: I will burn that damned dwarf to ash.
And Bren? He was ready.
He spun the crossbow’s crank with swift precision, aiming at the exposed gap in the Wyvern’s left chest.
Whispering to himself, voice trembling with vengeance:
“Come on… come on… I’ll kill you. For every dwarf consumed by your fire.”
Final Duel. On the brink of battle.
(End of Chapter)
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