v1c17 (1/2)

Volume 1 Chapter 17 – People unwittingly raising death flags

Today, the baggage carrier is house-sitting. Everyone in Alipour and the instructor remained too, they’re watching over the area surrounding the camp.

“What are we gonna do if nothing comes out?”

I tried asking the instructor.

“Then, it’s been planned that coming back we’ll go through another route and expand the range of the survey. Nevertheless, if there’s nothing, we’ll observe the situation for a while and if we can’t settle this unusual phenomenon looks like we’ll do a second investigation.”

The boredom. I thought of at least taking a stroll, but was told to stay still and trying to chat with Silver and Kreuk I was told not to get in their way. When I was practicing magic the instructor told me “We don’t know what will happen. Save your magic power.” I want a book or a game console. Seems there are bookstores, once I return I plan to go take a look.

I head towards a tree and practice throwing knives when around 2 o’clock Wings of Twilight returned. They had a serious expression.

“Instructor, it’s a dragon.”

I hear the report together with the instructor. It built a nest on the opposite side of the lake. Probably, it’s still a young dragon. Its size is not that big. It had wings. They say it’s a flying dragon type.

“That dragon, is it small?”

Hearing the report, I asked what I was thinking.

“Yeah, for a dragon. Even so, it’s more than 10 meters.”

Ten meters…

I can’t easily imagine. My parents home being 2 stories tall is about 5 meters? It’s double that? Was the Tyrannosaurus I saw in a museum around 10 meters? I had the memory of it being considerably huge. And that thing can fly?…

“If it flies from here to the city, it’s half a day distance. We can’t leave it alone.” said the instructor.

“Kill it?” Lazard asked the instructor.

“Let’s wait for Dawn’s Battleaxe. Then we’ll make a decision.”

Before long, all parties returned. The situation is explained.

“A dragon is troublesome. We should go back and call for reinforcements.”

“If we remove its wings, it’s just a big lizard that spews fire. There’s no problem.”

“How are you gonna remove its wings?!”

“I’ll do it!” Elizabeth announces her candidacy. She’s full of confidence. Why are you so self-a.s.sured?

Dawn’s Battleaxe and Alipour are the killing faction; Wings of Twilight and h.e.l.lvaughn are the withdrawing faction. In the end, the instructor had the last word and it’s decided we’ll kill it.

Dawn’s Battleaxe is the vanguard, Alipour will support. h.e.l.lvaughn will attack with bows if they find a gap. Wings of Twilight will be on standby at the back, if the operation fails they’ll return to the city to report. I’ve been told it’s fine either if I partic.i.p.ate or I stay behind. What to do? I want experience too but I also value my own life.

“Masaru, you partic.i.p.ate too. I’ll show you my strongest magic!”

“If you partic.i.p.ate you’ll be given a reward. A dragon subjugation has a high risk, but if successful you’ll obtain an enormous one.”

Looks like the instructor wants me to partic.i.p.ate.

That enormous of a reward? I really want a reward. Yesterday, I tried doing some rough calculations, if I return like this the remuneration will be around 3000, maybe it won’t reach 4000. It won’t be enough for the first step of my harem plan.

“Moreover, if you have done a dragon subjugation you’ll gain prestige as an adventurer. It appears Dawn’s Battleaxe has experience in dragon subjugation. This one is a sure win gamble.” Lazard said so to recommend my partic.i.p.ation.

Seems Kreuk and Silver are in it too. I want to test Fire Magic Level 4’s Large Explosion and possibly I’ll get a ma.s.sive amount of experience if done successfully.

“Count me in.”

It’s not like I’ve been dazzled by the reward. As an adventurer it’s a natural conduct.

I’m given pen and paper by the instructor.

“You need to write it down. Two copies. One for yourself, another to entrust to Wings of Twilight.”

Looking at it, for some reason everybody is writing something.

“In case you die, what to do with the equipment, items, money. If there’s someone you want to notify of your death, their contact address too. This is a common thing to do before a dangerous mission. Don’t give me that uneasy look.”

Holding that paper, I think. It’s impossible to contact my parents’ home, shall I donate the items and money to the orphanage? Which reminds me, I wonder what happens to the Item Box if I die?

Asking Elizabeth about it, I’m told the contents would be thrown out on the spot. I see. Orc corpses x 62, the food I’m carrying, everything will be thrown out on the spot. I’m sure it’ll be a big spectacle.

Written my will, the instructor takes custody of one sheet. I put the other one in the Item Box. Suddenly remembering, I take out the log. I write a will addressed to my parents’ home. I’m sure Itous.h.i.+n would deliver it if I die. Because there’s not much time I write it simple, it’s alright if later I rewrite it neatly. “Forgive me for the misfortune of dying early. Due to circ.u.mstances you won’t see me again, however don’t look at the contents in the PC, destroy the HDD and dispose of it. Please.” I wrote. I’m good with this. My mother completely found out about the p.o.r.n magazines, it’ll be alright if only they dispose of the HDD. If it’s my father, I’m sure he will understand. Ahhh, I forgot the notebook with my dark past. “Don’t read the notebook in a box in the closet, please burn it. Make absolutely sure, please.” yeah, with this I’ll have peace of mind.

We are hidden inside the forest while observing, Dawn’s Battleaxe gets closer to the dragon from the front.

The dragon is beyond a clearing in the forest, it lied sprawled inside an open shallow cave in the rocky mountain, its figure can be confirmed from the outside. Currently it’s a shallow cave, however little by little it’ll dig through and create an imposing nest.

“Good? My party will lure the dragon here. We’ll certainly bring it down with magic.”

Dawn’s role is to be the decoy.　Excluding Elizabeth, the remaining 4 people from the front, as if displaying their presence, they walk slowly towards it. The dragon with it’s attention attracted by the decoy presented a chance for me and Elizabeth who were hidden to inflict an attack with magic.

There was a strategy for a surprise attack, but the risk was high if it failed. The decoy one was more sound and Dawn’s leader had volunteered. They’re placing that much amount of trust on Elizabeth.

The sleeping dragon lifted its head and stood up. And slowly its gigantic body came out from the cave. It’s huge. A light brown body with four legs, large wings and a fiendish expression. Someone from Dawn shot an arrow, but it took no notice of it.

Dawn judging they got the dragon’s attention turned around and ran towards here. The dragon while causing the earth to shake came chasing them down. That is to say, it’s getting closer and closer.

The dragon can’t be simply called huge. The people from Dawn running away looked just like ants. Looking at it drawing nearer, and right about-face I was driven by an urge to flee. However, right now I’m not alone. Besides me there’s Elizabeth and in the vicinity Kreuk, Silver, the instructor and others are on standby. There’s no way I’ll run away by myself.

“Now!” said Elizabeth who is beside.

That’s right. This isn’t the time to be scared of the dragon. I must defeat it with magic. In a hurry I start casting the magic. The spell used is Large Explosion, it’s one I learned just the other day. I was anxious because I’ve never used it before, but it should be the one with the most power. The dragon chasing the people from Dawn stopped, its mouth opened wide. It’s readying a breath attack.

“It’s a breath attack!”

One person screamed and the guys from Dawn spread out. However at the last moment a warrior in full plate who was running stopped right in front of the dragon and put up an enormous s.h.i.+eld.

Hey, no matter how you look at it, that’s unreasonable?!

[Large Explosion] was still casting. I won’t make it in time. The dragon fires its breath. The whole body of the warrior holding the s.h.i.+eld is wrapped in flames.

Ah! He’s dead.

That’s what I thought, but the tank turns aside and once more starts fleeing. He’s burnt pitch black, still he seems to be alright. Once it’s fired a breath the next one takes time. If one was to attack, now is the perfect chance. [TL Note: He’s using Tank, an rpg/mmorpg term.]

“Eat this! Mega Thunder!!!”

Elizabeth’s magic was fired before mine did. I believe the sky flared up and shone, and together with a thunderous roar a thick lightning struck the dragon.

If that’s her strongest Magic there’s merit in her boasting. The dragon’s large body was halted. Its head that received the thunder was smoldering and rising smoke. The dragon shaking violently and staggering, appeared likely to have been defeated. However, it spread its wings and fixed its posture. It flew away from the members of Dawn running to deliver the finis.h.i.+ng blow.

“No way, it failed to bring it down?!”

I was in the middle of casting [Large Explosion]. s.h.i.+t, I should have tested it at least once. The casting is too long! The dragon is rapidly ascending into the air. If I don’t hurry it won’t get through. Finally the casting is finished, the spell is shot! However, looks like it was too late. The explosion happened in front of the dragon and it easily escaped into the sky.

“It’s a failure. As it is, will it escape?” Lazard asked the instructor.

“No, it’s got damage. As proof of that it’s stopped midair. We’ll continue with the operation.”

The dragon while hovering at a considerably high alt.i.tude, was observing this way. It appears it doesn’t plan to escape. We’re hidden inside the forest. Elizabeth is panting and breathing heavily. She took out a potion, drank it and seemed to be more at ease. Did she exhaust her magic power? I take out concentrated magi tea from Items and go give it to her.

“What’s this? It’s all thick and gooey.”

“Concentrated magi tea. It’s bitter but effective.”

Elizabeth drinks it in one go. Immediately I give her water. I also drink concentrated magic tea.

“Uwehh, it tastes awful! But, thank you.”

“Then, what should we do?”

“There’s nothing but to attack when it comes down. I can’t attack with the one I just used, but I have no choice but to manage somehow.”

“And a retreat?”

“A raging dragon will come chasing you. Even if you manage to get away, if it comes pursuing to the city, there will be heavy casualties. We have to finish it here.”

Large Explosion’s casting is too long, so it’s no use. I have no choice but to hit its wings with Minor Explosion. Outside the forest, Dawn’s Battleaxe is rearranging their formation while facing off with the dragon. They’ll become the decoy once again.

A few minutes later, finally the dragon swoop down. I start casting [Minor Explosion]. However, it’s coming fast. Even if it is falling speed it’s still fast, aiming for Dawn’s Battleaxe it plunged into them. Again the tank remains from the scattering Dawn members. The dragon while blowing its breath, flies skimming above. As they pa.s.sed each other, the dragon swings its tail and he is blown away. He tumbles several meters and falls, yet unsteady on his feet stands up. That tank is incredible!