CH: 160 Corpse Dragon

Guess what? The new work "Marvel: The Infinity Crown" is out! Better add it to your library before it gets jealous!

*****

{Chapter: 160 Corpse Dragon}

William and the others rushed to the captain's room, their eyes widening in shock at the sight before them.

A colossal, dinosaur-like creature loomed over the deck, its sheer size making the sturdy vessel tremble beneath its weight. Its skin, rough and black as iron, gleamed under the dim light, exuding an overwhelming sense of power. A pair of massive, bat-like wings stretched from its back, their tattered edges rippling as it moved. Its claws—razor-sharp and curved like scythes—dug into the ship's metal, leaving deep gouges in the steel plating. The air around it carried the acrid scent of burning flesh, and its blood-red eyes glowed with a feral intensity.

"What… what the hell is that?" Kmart's voice trembled slightly as she took an instinctive step back.

Chris, his face tense, assessed the creature carefully. "It's some kind of mutation… but I've never seen anything like this before."

William, however, stared at the beast with something different in his gaze—not fear, but exhilaration. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he took a step closer to the glass. "Corpse Dragon," he muttered, almost reverently.

Claire turned to him, frowning. "Corpse Dragon? How do you know what it's called?"

William smirked. "I just named it. Looks fitting, don't you think?" He crossed his arms, staring at the creature like a hunter sizing up prey. "Judging by its behavior, it's not here to destroy the ship—it's just looking for a place to rest."

The White Queen, her holographic form flickering to life beside them, nodded. "Based on my calculations, there is an 80% probability that it has no hostile intent toward us unless provoked. If we do not attack it, the ship should remain safe."

Kmart exhaled in relief. "Well, that's good. Let's just wait it out until it leaves."

But William chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, come on. What kind of man would I be if I let a beast like this stomp around on my turf without doing anything about it?"

Alice, Claire, and Kmart instantly turned to him, their expressions shifting between disbelief and exasperation.

Alice crossed her arms. "You're not seriously thinking about fighting that thing, are you? You are not going to kill it, are you?" Alice, Kmart, and Claire have seen William's madness. In Las Vegas, he killed the terrifying mutant crow king.

Claire sighed. "Of course he is."

"Kill it?" Luther smiled disdainfully, "How to kill this behemoth?"

Kmart, looking both horrified and impressed, said, "Well… he did take down that massive mutant crow back in Las Vegas."

Chris scoffed. "Mutant crow? Come on, Kmart. A bird and this thing are two different levels."

"It wasn't just any bird," Kmart insisted, her eyes flashing. "It was over sixty meters tall."

Chris let out a disbelieving laugh. "Sixty meters? That's insane."

"Over 60 meters? Are you dazzled, little girl?" Chris obviously didn't believe it.

"I'm not dazzled, this is true, don't call me a little girl." Kmart said angrily, and didn't believe her.

"She's not exaggerating," Claire interjected. "I saw it myself."

Alice nodded. "I can confirm it too."

Chris and Luther exchanged glances, their skepticism fading into a reluctant acknowledgment. "Even if that's true," Luther said, "this thing is still bigger and stronger. I don't care how powerful William is—he can't just punch a dragon to death."

"He can do it because he can be just as huge." Alice said lightly.

"What do you mean?"

William smirked. "Guess I'll have to prove you wrong." He turned on his heel and strode toward the exit. "You guys focus on getting the survivors out of the lower decks. I'll take care of our unwanted guest."

Alice clenched her fists as she watched him go. He was reckless, impulsive—but somehow, that infuriating confidence of his always seemed to get results.

Claire glanced at Alice. "You don't seem too happy. Isn't this what you wanted? For him to pick a fight with the corpse dragon? Weren't you always looking for an opportunity to kill him?"

Alice frowned, her voice quieter now. "And what about you? Don't act like you don't have a reason to want him gone. After everything he's done…"

Claire chuckled softly. "You think I want him dead? No, Alice. I want him to live."

Alice's expression stiffened, something unfamiliar twisting in her chest. She recalled what William had said to her before—because she's my woman. Those words had lingered in her mind longer than she cared to admit. But between Claire and William? No, that wasn't possible. Absolutely not.

Although she was thinking about a lot of things, Alice still said calmly, "Why?"

"Alice, why do you think it is?" Claire said with a smile.

Seeing Claire's smile, Alice's fists unconsciously clenched. This kind of sweet smile, damn it, why? Alice suddenly felt very unwilling.

Still, Claire's smile made something inside Alice tighten.

A sudden, deafening ROAR ripped through the air.

The monstrous sound sent shockwaves through the ship, forcing everyone to clutch their ears. It was like shards of glass piercing their eardrums, rattling their skulls with its sheer intensity.

The corpse dragon's enormous crimson eyes locked onto William as he floated above the deck, completely unfazed. It bared its jagged teeth, each one the size of a dagger, and let out another bone-rattling roar.

William grinned. "You're a noisy one, aren't you?" He cracked his knuckles. "Let's see how tough you really are."

The dragon's wings flared wide, sending powerful gusts of wind blasting through the air. It crouched low, muscles tensing.

Then, in a blur of motion, it launched itself skyward.

Its speed was shocking—something that large shouldn't have been able to move so fast.

Alice and Claire watched from below, their expressions tense as William shot toward the sky, his figure vanishing into the night.

"This idiot…" Alice muttered, shaking her head.

High above the ocean, William glanced over his shoulder to see the dragon closing in. He smirked. "Good. Follow me, big guy."

He had to lead it away. If they fought over the ship, the battle would tear it apart. He wasn't about to let that happen—not when Claire and Alice were still on board.

The dragon roared again, opening its jaws wide. A swirling mass of fire gathered in its throat.

William's grin widened. "Oh? You breathe fire? Now you've got my attention."

With a deep, guttural whoosh, the dragon unleashed a massive fireball, searing through the sky like a miniature sun.

William's figure flickered—then vanished just before impact.

The fireball exploded, sending a wave of heat rippling across the ocean's surface, making the water boil and steam.

William reappeared several meters away, waving. "Missed me. Try again."

Enraged, the corpse dragon roared, flapping its massive wings as it continued its pursuit.

William glanced downward, making sure they were far enough from the ship.

Perfect.

He abruptly stopped midair.

The dragon, caught off guard, had no time to slow its momentum.

William's pupils flashed. "Your bad luck."

With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward.

BOOM!

The impact was devastating.

William's fist collided with the dragon's skull, sending a shockwave through the air. The colossal beast reeled back, letting out a shriek of pain. It flailed, its massive body momentarily losing control.

Snarling in rage, it countered with a powerful downward strike of its claws.

William smirked. "Now we're talking."

He dodged just in time, the dragon's talons slicing through empty air. Flames erupted around its body as it roared in fury, its instincts telling it that this human—this insignificant creature—was far more dangerous than it had anticipated.

Below, the ocean churned violently from the battle above, waves crashing against each other in chaotic fury.

The fight had only just begun.

*****

Guess what? The new work "Marvel: The Infinity Crown" is out! Better add it to your library before it gets jealous!