Level Eater

Chapter 68: Signs of Counterattack

The Magic Dragon, feeling good about regaining its skills, now decided to use [Dragon flight] flapping its massive wings and creating waves on the lake's surface. Tatsuro and Ai quickly circled it, getting closer while Tatsuro fired lasers and Ai used her gem sword to cut and obstruct its wings.

The Magic dragon endured the pain, ignoring it as it knew it would regenerate, and continued flapping its wings. At the same time, it also regained the [Ice Blade] skill.

"Ai!" (Tatsuro)

"I got it!" (Ai)

While Ai shattered the approaching ice giant scythe with her gem sword, the Magic dragon unleashed its [Breath of Ice], Tatsuro and Cardina created an anti-magic barrier with a mixture of fire and earth magic to withstand the attack and then moved away to increase the distance.

Now, it had also regained [Dragon flight] floating up into the sky.

"Darn it, its skills are coming back one by one." (Tatsuro)

"This is the most troublesome one so far" (Ai)

Despite the bitter expressions on their faces, they charged toward the approaching Magic dragon with determination.

The Magic dragon, flapping its wings, simultaneously activated [Ice Breath] and [Ice Blade]. They managed to evade these attacks using the same methods as before. Then, the dragon raised its tail.

"Watch out for its tail!" (Tatsuro)

"One thing after another" (Ai)

Tatsuro immediately created an updraft and ascended. As they moved away, a weakened [Dragon Tail Flash] passed below them.

Realizing that allowing it to do as it pleased would render the use of [Level Eater] meaningless, Tatsuro and Ai got closer to the Magic Dragon, and Tatsuro began to drop heavy clumps of earth, created by a mixture of earth and darkness magic, like rain.

"Raaaaaaah!"

"Hmm?" (Tatsuro)

"What's wrong, Tatsuro?" (Ai)

"Did you notice anything strange with it just now?" (Tatsuro)

"Something strange?" (Ai)

To confirm the feeling of unease, Tatsuro dropped another clump of earth using the same magic. This time, the Magic dragon twisted itself to dodge when it was about to hit a certain part of its back.

"Ai, can you cut the spot where I'm about to shoot the laser?" (Tatsuro)

"Huh? Sure thing." (Ai)

Assuming he had an idea, Ai readily agreed and readied her gem sword. With her confirmation, Tatsuro descended toward the indicated spot on the dragon's back.

"Ha!"

"There, right?" (Tatsuro)

With a determined shout, Tatsuro targeted the area near the base of the left wing with his laser. The Magic dragon reacted excessively, becoming even more enraged. Tatsuro was now convinced that something was there.

As they approached the range where Ai's sword could reach, she sliced through it with all her might. When the area was cut open, they found a gem-like stone shining in red. They both thought this might be the dragon's weak point and prepared to attack simultaneously.

However, at that moment, the Magic dragon rotated in mid-air and bumped its belly against them, regenerating instantly. The dragon then directed [Dragon Tail Flash], [Breath of Ice] and [Ice Blade] simultaneously towards Tatsuro and Ai, prepared to eliminate them.

Tatsuro and Ai used anti-magic with Cardina and employed swordsmanship with the gem sword to narrowly evade the attacks, escaping the deadly area on the dragon's belly.

"That was close." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, but finding that thing earlier was a big deal." (Ai)

As they spoke, they glanced back at the Magic Dragon, which was now staring at them. Tatsuro noticed through his [Magic Perception] that the dragon was about to use [Fear] attack skill with a cry.

So they quickly had Cardina deal with it, and once again, the two of them charged towards the Magic dragon. The dragon tried to distract them with its [Breath of Ice] while preparing to cut them with the main attack, [Ice Blade] However, Tatsuro and Ai managed to handle this situation skillfully.

As they approached the area near the base of the left wing, which they had targeted earlier, Ai confidently sliced through it to reveal the inside. However, to their surprise, the gem was not there; they only saw blood and bones.

"It's not here!?" (Ai)

"Did it move!?" (Tatsuro)

They narrowly avoided the [Dragon Tail Flash] that was about to hit them again after ascending. The shock of their progress toward defeating the Magic dragon being pushed back again was evident.

"Can't you use a detection spell?" (Ai)

"I just tried, but I can't detect what's inside from the surface of its body." (Tatsuro)

"I see. Wait, if we can't detect it from the outside, can we do it from the inside?" (Ai)

"Don't tell me you're suggesting we jump into its mouth?" (Tatsuro)

While it seemed possible from the inside, what lay beyond that was only death. As Tatsuro shuddered at the thought, Ai assured him, saying, "No, that's not it," which gave him some relief.

"So, what's your plan?" (Ai)

"Well, I thought about it. If we want to see what's inside, we can just cut it in half." (Tatsuro)

"It's not a watermelon; it's not that easy to cut." (Ai)

Tatsuro retorted, but Ai grinned and clicked her tongue while shattering the incoming [Ice Blade].

"I have a plan. You see." (Ai)

"Explain." (Tatsuro)

"I'll concentrate my Ki and your magic into this sword, and then I'll use it to cut the dragon in half!" (Ai)

"So you mean swapping roles. But is that possible?" (Tatsuro)

"Umm, I think I can probably do it. You see" (Ai)

While managing the dragon's attacks in mid-air, Ai explained in detail what she was about to do. Hearing this, Tatsuro became enthusiastic, thinking that it might indeed be possible.

"Well, we'd like to get started right away, but first, let's buy some time." (Tatsuro)

"What do you mean?" (Ai)

"Since Ai was the one who received it, I don't think she knows yet, but it requires quite a bit of concentration. So, doing it while dealing with its attacks as if we are now might be impossible. On the other hand, dealing with that ice scythe without Ai will be challenging." (Tatsuro)

"I see, then how do we stop its attacks?" (Ai)

In response to her question, Tatsuro recalled the one instance when the Magic dragon fell silent and explained it to Ai. Ai's eyes widened as she remembered that moment.

"Oh yeah! That was when we killed it for the first time!" (Ai)

"Exactly. So, we need to kill it again." (Tatsuro)

"But it was only about ten seconds, right? Can we do it again, especially since it's our first time?" (Ai)

With an unusually uncertain expression, Ai spoke. Tatsuro, while surprised by her sudden loss of confidence, held her hand gently with the free hand that was not holding the staff.

"It's us, no one else. Even ten seconds is quite a long time. You do not need to put too much pressure on yourself. And even if it fails, I'll figure something out." (Tatsuro)

"What do you mean by figure something out?" (Ai)

"Well, maybe carrying you and running away?" (Tatsuro)

"What's that supposed to mean!" (Ai)

Initially sounding cool, Tatsuro's final line made Ai chuckle, reaffirming her feelings of affection for him. At the same time, all her anxieties disappeared. There was nothing she could not do.

"So, what should I do first?" (Ai)

As the light continued to pour in, Ai's eyes filled with determination. Seeing her like this, Tatsuro felt inspired, and his motivation soared. In this state, nothing could stop them.

"It's simple. If we blow its head off, it will die, so we just need to cut its neck. Ai, make an incision with your sword." (Tatsuro)

"With the gem sword, right? Leave it to me!" (Ai)

"All right!" (Tatsuro)

"Commence the counterattack!" (Ai)

"Counterattack, commence!" (Tatsuro)

With triumphant shouts, they resumed their attack for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

Meanwhile, Zendo, one of the few who had resisted the [Fear] attack became curious about the battle sounds echoing outside and peeked through a small window in the workshop. There, he saw the Magic dragon still perched arrogantly and someone engaged in aerial combat.

As he squinted to get a better look, he recognized the figure someone he knew well.

"So, it wasn't just a dream" (Zendo)

"Zendo-san, please step away! You'll get spotted."

One of the adventurers who had come as his escort whispered, trying to pull Zendo back.

Ignoring the advice, Zendo continued to watch the scene outside.

"I knew it, you guys are capable of incredible things." (Zendo)

The special feeling he had experienced back then was no illusion. Watching the boy and girl fighting against the dragon, filled Zendo's heart with warmth, like something out of a fairy tale.

"You won't lose to a monster like that. Go ahead and knock it out for me." (Zendo)

With that, Zendo muttered a prayer.

To make their tasks clear, they first handed off the [Fear] attack to Cardina. Then, Tatsuro took charge of dodging the [Ice Breath] while Ai handled the [Ice Blade] and together they shared the responsibility of evading the [Dragon Tail Flash]

With their assigned roles firmly in hand, the two of them, along with the dragon, continued to handle their responsibilities meticulously, successfully bringing themselves close to the dragon's neck.

The Magic dragon lunged, attempting to bite at them fiercely, but the two of them deliberately evaded it at the last moment, positioning themselves right by the dragon's neck.

"Raaaah!"

First, it was Ai. With lightning-fast swordsmanship, she swung her blade twice, making a cross-shaped incision in the middle of the long neck.

"Ha!"

At that moment, Tatsuro poured all his magical power into the attack. It was a mixed magic spell combining wind, light, fire, earth, and darkness. He enhanced the tornado with wind magic, added flames with fire magic, and mixed darkness magic into earth magic, creating a densely compressed blade made of earth with unexpected mass and hardness. He compressed it to the limit, fitting it into a basketball-sized sphere.

This small bomb entered the dragon's neck before the incision could heal and destroyed it from the inside.

First, the decompressed, shining tornado rampaged inside, attempting to tear the neck apart. Then, the flames swirling within burned the flesh, while the earthen blade acted like a blender, shattering the bones.

"Jaaaaaaaahhhh!"

The dragon could not even scream in response as its upper neck was torn upward and away.

At that moment, the dragon was declared dead, and its wings stopped moving as it began to fall toward the lake.

Tatsuro chased after it, infusing his magic into Ai.

"Huh You endured this kind of thing, Tatsuro" (Ai)

"Yeah. But it's because I'm me. So, it's okay." (Tatsuro)

He whispered into her ear, embracing Ai tightly, echoing words she had once said to him.

Ai, recalling that moment, concentrated, and they began to merge as one. She could feel her determination and Tatsuro's magic blending. With this newfound power that was neither her own nor solely magic, she channeled it all into her gem sword.

It transformed into a massive, brilliantly colored sword.

The blade alone is 30 meters long, and Ai used the jeweled sword as a nucleus to establish it.

And while falling and hitting the body on the bottom of the lake, the neck begins to regenerate.

However, she does not intend to make it regenerate completely.

"Cut it open, cut it open, cut it open, cut it open!"

With their shouts, a 30-meter blade sliced the dragon in half with a single stroke.

Then it split in two like a watermelon, and one half turned into a lump of flesh, while the other half slowly began to regenerate its flesh.

Over there!

The two of them rushed toward the side that was still alive and cast search magic inside to find the object they were looking for.

The moment Tatsuro found it, he fired his most powerful laser at it.