Crystal Dragon (Part 1)

*Boom!* The sound echoed across the sky, sending chills down the mage's spine as she and her party advanced toward the center of the eastern mountains. The mage girl, Luna, was the same one who had accused Mayu of cheating after she single-handedly slew a thunder dragon.

"Are you okay?" asked her party member, running ahead of her, noticing the sudden gloom in her expression.

"I just felt a powerful mana in the air just now," she murmured, tilting her head toward the sky. "That thunder wasn't caused by natural weather... It was a skill."

"A skill? Does that mean someone is behind this incident?" asked Sam, the swordsman of the party.

"Monsters can also cast skills," added Maru, the party's vanguard.

"Maybe another thunder dragon... Maybe we should retreat now," Christine, the healer, said with a shiver, memories of their past failure surfacing.

"That happened a month ago. We've trained hard since then," Luna stated confidently. Yet, deep in her heart, she was uncertain. Was this confidence, or just her pride refusing to back down?

Luna had always been at the top of her class, making it difficult to find someone who could match her skills. This fueled her stubborn attitude and refusal to accept defeat, especially after Mayu had done what she believed to be impossible: slaying a thunder dragon alone.

Unbeknownst to many, Luna and her party had encountered a thunder dragon on their way to Greytile Town and had been utterly defeated. She had believed that no one could overcome such a monster. Then Mayu appeared and did just that.

Luna felt humiliated. She had believed she was the best, but reality proved otherwise. Now, she wanted to set the record straight, to defeat a monster in the heart of the eastern mountains and prove herself.

"The thunder dragon made me feel weak," Sam admitted, gripping his sword. "But we've trained for a month, gained new skills and equipment. There's no way we'll lose this time. It's time to settle the score." He grinned, lifting the party's spirits.

They stepped into the misty part of the mountain.

Immediately, Christine, who specialized in support magic, cast, "Defog!" The spell dispersed the thick mist in a 20-meter radius, revealing a horrific scene.

Numerous adventurers lay injured—some lifeless. The ground was soaked in blood. The sight was enough to churn the strongest stomachs.

Christine, at the front, took it all in first. "Guhh!" She collapsed to her knees, retching at the gruesome sight. The sight of horror made her stomach turn upside down. "Guehhhh!"

"Christine!" Maru rushed to her side, planting his shield in front of her to block her view. "Get a hold of yourself!"

Luna and Sam were frozen. They had seen death before, but nothing like this.

A body hung from a tree, its lower half missing. An eyeball rolled on the ground. Others had been completely crushed beyond recognition.

"What on earth are we facing?" Sam whispered, eyes locked on the mist beyond.

"This is not something we can handle..." A half-severed adventurer coughed out, struggling to speak. "An evolved earth dragon..." His voice was weak, yet his warning carried weight. "I thought it was only a myth… It's a Crystal Dragon—a cunning one."

Beyond the mist, a pair of red eyes gleamed ominously.

A violent gust tore through the battlefield. Shards of razor-sharp wind sliced through trees and the earth alike. The wounded adventurer who had spoken was decapitated instantly. Other survivors screamed for help.

"I have to run!"

"Hey! Help us!"

"Please, someone!"

But Luna's party barely had the means to protect themselves, let alone the others. Even if they wanted to help, what could they do?

Maru and Sam reacted quickly, erecting a thick barrier around their group. But it was only strong enough to protect them. If they tried to extend it to cover the others, the barrier would thin, and a thin barrier would never withstand the onslaught.

The wind blades were invisible yet deadly. Everything was being sliced apart—trees, the ground, even stone. It was a terrifying sight.

Then, a deafening roar shook the land.

"Roaaaaaaaaar!"

Luna's gaze lifted, her breath caught in her throat. "The Crystal Dragon..."

I always thought I was the best. That nothing could stop me. But what is this feeling? This overwhelming weakness? Luna thought.

In the face of absolute strength, Luna accepted her weakness.

"We're running. As fast as we can," Sam whispered, his voice trembling.

Everyone nodded.

Sam and Maru grabbed the girls and sprinted. There was enough distance between them and the dragon. If they were lucky, they wouldn't be noticed.

They thought they could escape.

Then, they slammed into something solid and transparent.

"I can still see that there is something beyond here, what is happening?" Sam questioned.

Luna got off Sam's shoulder and placed her hand on the transparent wall that was blocking their way.

"A barrier?" Luna gasped, recognizing the mana.

Maru struck it with his big, thick shield. "Not just a barrier. It's incredibly sturdy."

"Could it be that the Crystal Dragon set this up?" Luna muttered, scanning the area.

That Crystal dragon could set up a barrier? Is this barrier meant to trap us? That monsters could think strategically… A dangerous type of opponent.

"Can you dispel it?" Sam asked.

"I'm the genius scholar… Of course, I could." Luna continues her analysis and realizes that the barrier is one-sided. It could make someone go inside, but won't allow someone to go outside.

This is a bit tricky…

"I can create a small hole for us, but it will take time. Good thing the dragon hasn't noticed us..."

Maru then gazed at the dragon from afar and saw an exchange of attacks between a monster and someone.

"Seems like it has its hands full fighting someone else. We need to escape before we get caught in the crossfire," Maru urged.

"Someone is fighting that?" Sam was shocked. "Never mind, if it will buy us time, that's good… How is Christine?" Sam asked.

"Completely unconscious. The sight was too much for her," Maru replied grimly.

"We can't defeat that dragon…"

Luna hesitated before whispering, "Do you think that girl can defeat the Crystal Dragon?"

Sam scoffed. "No way. No way in hell. That thing is too strong. And don't compare yourself to her. There's still room for you to grow. Don't let her victory make you feel defeated. If she can slay that monster, then the world becomes a little safer. That's all that matters."

He patted Luna's hair.

"Don't pat me like a kid!" she shot back, swatting his hand away.