Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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If I had been able to use proper magic, the situation would have been different. I was forced to swing my sword while sweating profusely.

[Kang-! Gagak-!]

The transition from Taeguk to Twin Dragon Strike occurred smoothly, but the golden dragon’s body only bore minor scratches.

Right after dodging a massive paw attack, another chunk of gold came flying in. The moment the brilliantly shining tail twisted bizarrely, a loud explosion followed in quick succession.

[Shwiik-! Bang-!]

When the speed exceeded the sound barrier, a sonic boom erupted. The overwhelming mass and speed of the massive gold slammed into my body.

At first, I didn’t even realize I was attacked. For a brief moment, I lost my senses, only to realize my body was soaring through the sky.

However, the next moment, I had to brace myself as I crashed into the sandy ground below in the desert. The golden dragon had hit me while I was in mid-air.

[Kwaaaang-!]

A moment later, a massive second shockwave hit. My bones creaked painfully, dislocating from their places. A silent scream escaped my lips as red blood gushed out.

I gritted my teeth and quickly rolled away. Just after that, the golden tail came crashing down again, roaring like a wave of explosions headed toward the place I had just vacated.

[Kwaaaang-!]

The tremendous shock shook the ground, causing a wave of sand to ripple outward. I flew as if riding the sand wave with my Ice Dragon Sword, wiping my mouth clean of blood.

The Mana Barrier that had held up against the sea god’s strike had shattered in just two attacks. I noticed the blue mana that had fallen from my body slowly dispersing, and I immediately needed to surround myself with a new barrier.

To cut through that golden body, an overwhelming attack power was essential. The same sword that had once cleaved a massive snake in two. The technique that concentrates all inner mana to create a new blade—the Aura Blade.

However, I didn’t have the luxury to use that technique right now.

To use Aura Blade, I would need to focus all my mana in one place. This meant only leaving behind the minimal mana needed for body reinforcement. In other words, my protective Mana Barrier would also vanish.

If I were to be crushed by that huge mass of gold in the meantime, it would clearly end more than just in a faint.

Not a living dragon either. Just a soulless shell that had expelled all mana, now approaching me like an enormous wall. A strong emotion I had never felt before weighed down on my shoulders.

The first emotion I felt as Seris was not unfamiliar. It was the feeling of defeat.

[Puduk-!]

As I bit down hard, the attacks began raining down again. The golden dragon granted me no momentary respite. The overwhelming violence continued to blanket the area.

Just beyond the hazy sandstorm, as golden glimmers shone, I had to quickly escape that place. At that moment, the Nightmare, which had kept its distance, rushed toward me at astonishing speed and grabbed the back of my neck.

“Me, Nightmare?”

My short legs swayed chaotically in the wind. Looking up at the flustered Nightmare, it snorted roughly.

The choice to flee. The Nightmare made a rational decision. Fighting an unbeatable opponent is a foolish act.

However, I could not retreat. No—it would be more accurate to say I didn’t want to. Stubbornness, pride, and foolishness. I couldn’t bear to turn away, overwhelmed by the feeling of defeat.

Not even a perfect dragon. A mere shell. Was it right for me to turn my back and flee from it?

With a light spin, I loosened my cloak from my neck. As my body spun rapidly upwards, a cry mixed with Nightmare’s shrieks broke free.

<-Puhihing?>

I used the Ice Dragon Sword floating in the air as a stepping stone. The wind whipped my blonde hair behind me. Just as I was about to leap toward the golden dragon with the Fire Dragon Sword in hand, something extraordinary began to occur.

From all directions, cloudy sandstorms began to rise. Though each had slight timing differences, they were all directed toward the same target.

Yet, the dragon paid no mind to that. It charged straight for me, a golden brilliance tearing through the air before striking my body. I leaped up from the Ice Dragon Sword and landed lightly on the dragon’s back.

The moment I caught the Ice Dragon Sword in my left hand, I began to race along its massive form. Swings from both swords relentlessly battered the dragon’s body as I dashed.

[Kang-! Gagagakang-!]

Once the chill of the Ice Dragon Sword and the heat of the Fire Dragon Sword surpassed a certain level, blue lightning erupted above me.

[Phajiik-!]

Yet, even so, I only managed to etch tiny scratches onto the dragon’s body. It was just as I maneuvered along the massive tail when the dragon’s body suddenly coiled up, then leaped skyward in the next moment.

[Kwaaaang-!]

A tremendous shockwave rippled outward from where the dragon had taken off, creating giant waves of sand. Countless ships hastily altered their path, yet they couldn’t escape the impending sand wave.

[Kwarlrrr-!]

Many of the ships capsized or flew into the air thanks to the sand wave.

As I floated along with the dragon into the sky, I had no choice but to hurry and get away from it. The dragon was about to spin and drop its tail.

With incredible jumping power, the dragon’s body soared high into the clouds before gravity caused it to plummet.

[Kwaang!]

Once again, a massive shockwave erupted. The aftermath gave birth to another wave of sand. The ships heading this way faced new sand waves before they could even recover from the impacts.

Yet, there were still many ships left unscathed. One of those was a ship I recognized well.

“Seris! What the heck…!”

The Sunny Ship, I heard a familiar voice calling from above. It was Renilla, known as the Sandy Gale. She waved at me just as she had when we first met.

The mere fact that we were close enough to recognize each other meant that the Sunny Ship had also entered the dragon’s attack range. At that moment, the dragon, which had been lying on the ground, rose and swung its massive arm.

[Buung-!]

Almost within reach, the distance was precariously close. I immediately leaped from the Ice Dragon Sword and swung the Fire Dragon Sword. The blade, descending from above, drew a red crescent.

[Zzuooong-!]

A strike made with all my strength. The impact caused the massive golden creature to waver slightly. In that moment, my gaze met Renilla’s. There was no need for a brief conversation. As our eyes passed over one another, Renilla drew her sword and shouted.

“Commence bombardment!”

The instant the dragon’s colossal arm slammed down, the Sunny Ship veered sideways, opening all cannon ports. With a thunderous explosion, dark projectiles were fired.

[Purberberbeng-!]

About five rounds of cannonballs struck the dragon’s body, but the damage appeared minimal. However, it seemed enough to divert the dragon’s gaze. The molten head that had been focused solely on me started chasing after the Sunny Ship.

[Gold! A mountain of gold!]

[It's alive! Shoot it dead!]

[Take the gold!]

At that moment, countless ships arrived. Those who had cut through the sand waves and cloudy sandstorms revealed their insatiable greed the moment they identified the massive golden dragon.

The moment everyone’s goals aligned. Cannon reloading and firing echoed from all directions, and fierce explosions sent black smoke billowing.

[Kwagagagakang-!]

As more than a dozen ships opened their cannon ports in unison to rain down cannonballs, the enormous dragon’s body staggered momentarily.

The golden dragon didn’t even let out a scream. It didn’t roar in rage either. With its skeletal wings wide open, it began rampaging with its melted flesh. It was the only emotional expression it could muster.

As the gigantic creature created chaos, it unleashed a true catastrophe. The ground trembled, and cloudy sandstorms erupted repeatedly. Some ships that had drawn near were smashed, buried beneath the sand without leaving a sound.

All noises around me quieted down. Though actual sounds hadn’t vanished, I had become unable to perceive them as I focused my mind.

The only sound I heard was the rotating hum of the circle embedded in my heart.

The rapidly spinning circle heated the mana, channeling all that mana toward the Fire Dragon Sword.

[Whirr-!]

When the rough flames intertwined, they formed a new blade. Like a hot piece of metal glowing bright red from the forge, the sword blade was infused with incredible heat. The instant the phenomenon of [Annihilation] was bestowed upon that blade, I swung with all my strength.

[Whoooosh-!]

From above to below. A simple downward thrust. However, the impact it created was anything but simple.

The long red slash extended up through the sky and swept across the massive form of the golden dragon, gliding over the sandy ground below. Just as if time had stopped, the dragon’s movements froze, and only then did the heat erupt.

[Chiieeek-!]

The clouds overhead evaporated, and it seemed the dragon’s golden body began melting away as the shoulders and chest were diagonally sheared off.

“Ah…”

I hung my head as I watched the scene unfold, dropping the arm that held my sword. Having poured every last bit of mana into that strike, I had no strength left in me. I didn’t even have enough mana left to keep the Ice Dragon Sword in the air, so I would fall without choice.

That was just as I was falling from the sky. The Nightmare, which had been far away, rushed over quickly and caught me.