Chapter CLII - Dragons are Dangerous, Right? (part 1)

"W-Wait, Fran!"

Rath called out to Fran who was running in front of him. The two are making their way towards where the dragons are right now, and Rath had something to say.

"Are you sure we can leave Emily and Brod to her? She doesn't look trustworthy."

Hearing Rath's worried question, Fran let out a sigh and answered what she thought.

"She was as good as me in terms of sword arts, back then. You saw how she and I sparred, and that was a long time ago. As for actual strength, she might have far surpassed me."

"H-How are you even sure about that??"

"… I believe."

For a White ranked adventurer like Fran to be saying that, Rath began doubting his worries. If someone like Fran believes that strongly, then it might as well be the truth.

As someone who has been adventuring with her for so long, Rath can only agree and move on.

Fran continued her focus on what was in front of her, and they arrived on a large pit filled with lava underneath after a long walk. There, six dragons can be sighted doing their own stuff.

"Six dragons. Three lesser, two nearly evolved lesser, and one regular."

"I knew it… this is a death wish. We should wait for help."

"... No. Let's do this."

Fran took out her sword and a white scabbard showed up on her hips. She unsheathed the sword and released her pressure.

VWOOM!!

The dragons underneath the pit immediately turned to Fran and Rath standing at the edge of the pit, and they all screamed.

"ROOAAAA!!!!"

"REEEEE!!!!!"

"ROOOOOAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"

The dragons then quickly reacted and started flying. Some of them even prepared an attack like a giant fire blaze on its mouth, ready to fire.

But, the regular dragon isn't moving.

"Looks like that one is underestimating us."

Fran commented after seeing the regular dragon. Meanwhile, Rath is already shivering.

"F-Fran, we might need to start moving!"

The first fire blaze came from the lava pit. The lesser dragon shot a fire blaze dead straight to the two humans at the side of the pit. The blazing red heat flew at high speed.

BAAARRRR!!!!

Fran and Rath leaped just in time when the fire blaze exploded when it impacted on the pit's edge. The dragons in the skies are also preparing the same ranged attack.

"Surely, we have to go all out!"

Fran said as her whole body became cladded in blue lightning. Rath turned to see Fran in her serious mode, and he himself had no choice but to take this seriously too.

The first giant fireball was shot from the skies by the dragons, but the two adventurers aren't moving. Instead of escaping, Rath lifted his left hand and made the giant fireball explode in the air.

It was a form of wind magic that activates the explosive behaviour of the fireball, exploding it while it was mid air. It was a weak and measly wind blaze that can be casted even by the weakest mage, and yet it was useful enough to remove a dragon's entire fireball. 

Of course, it was something that a professional hunter such as him should be able to do.

ZIINGGG!!!

Fran took a step forward and slashed her sword in the air. A slash made with lightning magic quickly made its way towards the first dragon, and it hit perfectly on the right wing.

"RROOAAA!!!"

BLAARR!!!

The dragon roared and tried to move its wing again, but the wing was stunned by the lightning and couldn't be moved. It then fell to the lava pit, causing lava to splat everywhere.

"Nice… Now, then…

Only five more to go."

Rath said as he turned to face the ones up in the sky that were approaching them. All of them have become more wary of the two humans who challenged them, and that they won't be letting their guard down. 

Dragons are intelligent, and they know the two humans they are facing are not simple.

The close range battle… is only going to be even more difficult.

.

Meanwhile on the right side, Brod, Emily and I had no luck in finding these dragons.

"My god... Where are they??"

I complained lazily while Emily and Brod were on high alert. It has been five minutes since we began the search, and yet we couldn't find any.

"Do you think the right side was a fake one? Or maybe the dragon has moved to the left as a trap?"

Emily asked, but Brod shook his head.

"That's not possible. We heard the shout before, and if they really are moving, we should be able to know about it. Those things are big, their wings flapping should be heard clearly."

"R-Right..."

"Brod is right. They must be around here somewhere…

Ah, I sensed something."

The three of us continued moving following my lead until we finally found a deep large pit with lava on the floor. 

Looks like we found the dragons breeding ground.

There are around thirteen dragons here, and they all range from the lesser to the regular. Right in the middle of the pit, there are eight giant balls with some cool flames on them.

"Are those... Eggs?"

Emily asked while glaring at the burning giant white balls in the middle of the lava pit, and Brod nodded heavily.

"This is their lair. Their breeding ground."

"Interesting… They laid eggs here to create a form of dragon village up here."

The two stared at me, as if questioning why I am not worried at all.

"Let's see. There's seven lesser dragons, four lesser but nearly evolved, and those two are looking quite huge... Must be the regular ones."

I studied the situation, and it looks like there are indeed thirteen dragons here. I turned to Emily and Brod and clapped my hands.

"Okay! How should we do this…? 

Brod, can you take their attention? Just long enough while me and Emily kill them from the side. Can you do that?"

"Wha--Those dragons will kill Brod before we can kill it!"

"No, they won't. Good luck Brod!! Let's go, Emily!"

I grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her out of the way, leaving Brod still frozen.

The big guy had no idea what the hell was in my mind, but in the end, it's either die or nothing. If Emily and I are okay, then it is fine for him.

Brod closed his eyes and chuckled. Then he unleashed all of his pressure while opening his eyes. The taunting skill of a tanker sure is effective, because the dragons quickly turned their gazes towards the tanker.

"ROOOAAA!!!"

The dragons became alerted immediately. As expected, they didn't do close range battle instantly. Instead, they shot away some giant fireballs at Brod.

"Whoa, there!"

BAARR!!!

Brod leaped to the side right when the first giant fireball was about to turn him into ash. More fireballs were incoming, but he smacked the ground and a giant pillar of stone quickly formed in front of him.

BOOOMMM!!!!

The fireballs exploded when they collided with the stone wall, but it didn't destroy it. Instead, the stone wall slowly melted and finally turned into lava completely, leaving Brod in the open.

Seeing that its opponent can block the flame attacks, the dragons decided to use closer methods. The dragons are now moving in for a closer range, and those paws looked rather gigantic.

"Oh dear... This is it."

Alone, Brod will never be able to fight these dragons at close range, especially when there are three of them coming his way.

He closed his eyes just when the dragons were about to land on him, but then a large explosion came from the right.

FWOOOOMMMM!!!!!!

A gigantic red flaming beam came from the right and completely turned the dragons into coal. The dead dragons' corpses fell to the lava inside the pit and caused a massive splash.