CHAPTER 99

In general, this was good news. After all, if the colossal dragon managed to escape, its speed alone would make pursuit nearly impossible. Once it reached interstellar space, tracking and capturing it would become a monumental task.

"Roar!"

With a thunderous cry, the red dragon dived from the sky. Its wide, flaming jaws opened, spewing forth a stream of blazing dragonfire.

One of the hunters from the Skadi Hunting Group, gifted with elemental control, raised both hands. The air above swirled violently as a cyclonic gust burst forth, colliding head-on with the searing flames.

The clash of elemental forces caused a blinding explosion of light. Fire and wind battled midair, turning the sky into a furnace and illuminating the battlefield as bright as day.

"Roar!" The dragon, infuriated, unleashed another barrage of flame, a torrent of fiery pillars hammering against the wind wall.

The wind-wielding hunter began to sweat profusely. The overwhelming might of the dragon's flames bore down, clearly beyond his endurance.

At that moment, Hoddle and Roxas, the two blind archers with enchanted senses, unleashed their attack. Each let loose three arrows, the shots whistling through the heated air in near-perfect unison.

The dragon's massive wings stirred gusts and flames as it deflected most of the arrows, but one found its mark, striking its shoulder with a sharp thud.

Then came a flurry of attacks—divine powers, enchanted arrows, explosive runes, and elemental magic descended like a torrential rainstorm. Over thirty combatants acted as one. In mere moments, the red dragon's scaled hide was covered in wounds and scorches.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Heimd, empowered by his Asgardian lineage and enchanted boots, leapt through the air, racing toward the dragon's crown with a speed that shattered the sound barrier.

In one swift motion, he landed atop the dragon's skull and gripped one of its horns. With a powerful twist, he tried to destabilize the beast.

"Roar!" The dragon thrashed violently, trying to dislodge him. Though Heimd lacked the raw strength of the dragon, his disruption prevented it from maintaining steady flight. Its massive form began to wobble in midair.

The others seized this opportunity—Hela, ever precise and deadly, slashed across the beast's wings with her soul-forged blade, carving several gaping wounds.

"Grahh!" the dragon screamed. Its balance faltered. Finally, it tumbled from the sky, crashing into the ground with a deafening impact.

Seeing the chance, Heimd drew out a gleaming Uru chain enchanted by the Dwarves of Nidavellir and prepared to bind the creature.

But before he could, Angler's shadowy tentacles erupted from below, one ensnaring Heimd and yanking him away from the dragon's head. Several others coiled around the beast itself.

Even heavily wounded, the dragon's fury was not so easily tamed. One mighty swipe of its talons cleaved through the tentacles like paper.

"Ah!" Angler shrieked, and Heimd, now beside him, struggled to cut free from the writhing mass.

"Curse you!" Heimd growled, summoning a blade of divine light to free himself, but to act against another Asgardian would risk Odin's wrath.

Angler sneered. "You're not the only one who wants glory, Heimd."

With both of them distracted, the others scrambled to reach the grounded beast.

Though battered and bleeding, the red dragon remained dangerous, wheezing jets of fire in stubborn defiance. "HOO-HO!"

The struggle to capture it was far from over.

One Skadi hunter dashed in with an enchanted chain. Just as he was about to make contact, a beam of holy light struck him.

The Hand of Reckoning.

The spell paralyzed him momentarily. He turned, furious, to find Rowe standing nearby, radiant and unwavering.

"Edding, bind the dragon!" Skadi barked.

The stunned hunter—Edding—snapped out of it, his glare lingering on Rowe before he turned back toward the dragon.

Rowe remained composed. He was the arbiter.

The Hand of Reckoning awakened the hidden misdeeds buried deep within the soul—not just crimes like murder or theft, but even impure thoughts or moments of shame. Where the Holy Light Pointer judged through rigid morality, the Hand delved into the conscience itself.

Even fleeting lust or self-gratifying thoughts could trigger a response. The spell was particularly cruel in its intimacy, often flooding the target with humiliating memories.

Unless someone had a pure and unwavering soul, their mind would buckle under the weight of self-reflection.

Edding, clearly no saint, was struck again. His hands trembled. He stood frozen, torn between rage at Rowe and his duty to capture the dragon.

Meanwhile, the Skadi Hunting Group lacked spells like the Hand of Reckoning. Their harassment tactics—shoves, tripwires, binding snares—were inefficient. In contrast, Hela's side progressed quickly, and one of her warriors managed to secure a chain around the dragon's leg.

"What are you waiting for?" Nuer barked, sprinting up. He kicked Edding aside, seized the chain, and charged.

Rowe struck again.

Another Hand of Reckoning slammed into Nuer, causing his face to twist with shock and confusion.

Edding groaned, clutching his side. "That's the guy Roxas warned about. It's his judgment spell—watch yourself!"

Nuer clenched his fists and forced himself forward. The second impact didn't hit as hard, whether due to fewer misdeeds or stronger willpower.

He managed to reach the dragon and lashed the chain around its claw.

Rowe's expression shifted. He holstered his hammer and raised both hands.

Twin Hands of Reckoning burst forth. One struck Nuer again, making him falter—but the second missed its target.

And instead… it hit the dragon.

The beast had barely held itself together, lying in a heap of bruises and charred scales, struggling for breath. But now, its golden eyes flared.

"HO-HO!!"

Its head rose, lips curling back to reveal its smoldering teeth.

With a sudden roar of wrath, the dragon summoned its last reserves of power. Its wings unfurled. With a forceful leap, it charged straight for Rowe.

"Shit."

Rowe's instincts screamed. He turned to flee—only to realize that little Shilute was still nearby, watching the dragon in wide-eyed fascination.

Cursing, he dashed back, scooped up the child, and sprinted again.

"Roar!"

The dragon's presence bore down on them. The pressure in the air was suffocating. Rowe activated Divine Protection, golden runes forming around him.

In his right hand, the Holy Light Shield flared to life, solid and gleaming. He spun, raising the shield just as a jet of dragonfire surged down.

"Boom!"

The flame crashed into the holy barrier. The radiant surface sizzled, dimming rapidly under the assault. The barrier groaned, trembling toward collapse. But the dragon refused to relent.

Then, a small sound came from his arms.

"Phuu."

Shilute had puffed up his cheeks and exhaled—like a child blowing bubbles.

From the child's mouth erupted a surge of wet, earthen sludge. It gushed outward, quickly solidifying into thick rock. Just before the shield gave way, the wall of stone rose up and blocked the flames.

Rowe blinked in shock, cradling Shilute. The dragonfire finally ceased.

In that split second, Hela arrived.

With a scream of battle, she lunged upward and plunged her blade into the dragon's throat.

The beast choked on its own fire and collapsed, its body convulsing, its will finally broken.

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