Chapter 49

Continuing to clear the Proline Dungeon for a little over a month.

Surprisingly, I've already gathered the required amount of mithril.

I was doing it with quite a bit of leeway, but this is the result. I can't help but say it was too easy.

I've also accumulated a ridiculous amount of experience points.

I've been hoarding most of it, but Sylvia and Echo have already maxed out their existing skills to level 9.

Yukari has also maxed out her "Crafting" and "Enchantment Magic" to level 9. "Crafting" is a skill that can be called the hallmark of a blacksmith, using materials to create equipment. As for enchantment, I plan to have Yukari work on it thoroughly once her "Disassembly" skill reaches a high level. Without the combination of crafting, enchantment, and disassembly, one should never attempt enchantment. It was common sense in my previous life.

Well then.

Now that we suddenly have free time, we decided to take this opportunity to finally tackle "that."

"I'm going to learn as much as I can."

When I told everyone this, Sylvia and Echo nodded with tense expressions.

Learning as much as possible—this means learning all the main skills, whether or not we use the Dragon Horse and Dragon King skills.

Sylvia will learn "Dragon Horse Archery" and "Dragon King Archery." Echo will learn "Dragon Horse Shield" and "Dragon King Shield." As for me, I'll learn "Dragon Horse Archery," "Dragon King Archery," "Dragon Horse Swordsmanship," and "Dragon King Swordsmanship"—four in total.

It's a hassle to learn them one by one when needed, so I plan to learn as much as possible now and stop at level 16. However, I intend to level up "Dragon King Swordsmanship" because it's practical.

"So, Second. What's the crucial method for learning?"

Sylvia asked with an excited look. She's really hyped up because these are the only two skills left for her in "Archery."

"First, let me explain Dragon Horse Archery. Simply put, you need to defeat a dragon."

"Wh-what!?"

Nice reaction. But I can't let it distract me, so I continue.

"The key is how you defeat it. For Dragon Horse Archery, the final blow must be with Horned Knight Archery. Before that, you need to attack at least once with each of the seven skills from Infantry Archery to Flying Knight Archery."

"Master, is it possible to perform such unnecessary actions during a battle with a dragon?"

Yukari's simple question. It's a valid point.

"Yes, if you know how, it's easy. However, this alone won't allow you to learn Dragon Horse Archery."

"What! There's more!?"

Sylvia looked up to the sky, pleading for mercy. If this is just the explanation for Dragon Horse, the future looks grim.

"You need to perform the entire sequence against five different types of dragons."

"..."

The look on her face was as if she heard a loud "Gah!" Not just Sylvia, but Echo and Yukari also seemed a bit taken aback.

Well, it is tedious. The dragons in Mevion aren't just one type; there are over 20, ranging from weak to strong. Finding five weaker types and fulfilling the conditions is incredibly troublesome. In that sense, Dragon King is a bit easier.

"For Dragon King Archery, you need to defeat 10 dragons of any type using only Flying Knight Archery. This is much easier."

"Easy my ass!!"

Sylvia erupted. I thought she would say, "This is just a dream!" and then lament, "Oh, I feel faint..." as she collapsed on the table. She must be overwhelmed by the hassle.

"As for swordsmanship, the conditions are the same. So, Sylvia and I will be dragon hunting for a while. Don't worry, I'll help you."

When I reassured her, Sylvia looked up and asked, "R-really?" but then suspected, "Are you planning to throw me into a dragon's nest?" What does she think of me? Of course not (flag).

"What about me? What about me?"

"Echo's case is a bit special. For Dragon Horse Shield, you need to have a dragon that has been attacked at least once by each of the seven skills from Infantry Shield to Flying Knight Shield killed by a team member. Do this for five different types of dragons. For Dragon King Shield, you need to parry 100 times in a row against a dragon using Flying Knight Shield. It's tough, but I'll teach you."

"Got it! I'll do my best!"

"Good job, Echo."

Echo is full of energy, which is great.

"While we're dragon hunting, can I leave the negotiations with the Earl to Yukari?"

"Yes, please leave it to me, Master."

Yukari's expression is as usual, but she seems somewhat enthusiastic. After spending so much time together, I feel like I can sense the emotions behind her cold expression, which makes me a bit happy.

"Alright. Let's get started."

And so, our Proline Dungeon clearing came to a smooth end.

"Where are the dragons?"

On the way, Echo asked.

"Plenty in the Meteo Dungeon."

"Really?"

The B-class Dungeon "Meteo" is an outdoor dungeon. It's shaped like a canyon and features seven types of dragons, including the boss. It's essentially a dragon's nest.

"Wait. Did you just say Meteo?"

"Yes."

"…It hasn't been cleared yet, right?"

"Probably not."

Meteo Dungeon is the toughest B-class dungeon. If Proline hasn't been cleared yet, I assumed Meteo wouldn't be either. In terms of difficulty, it might even be harder than the A-class Argin Dungeon.

"Such a dangerous place? We're going to fight dragons?"

"Yes."

"Is... is it safe?"

"No problem. Meteo has fewer monsters, so we can always fight 3-on-1."

However, only dragons appear. It's quality over quantity, with each one being quite strong.

"O-oh, I see."

"Don't worry, we won't die."

Sylvia looked quite nervous. She nodded, "U-um," but seemed unsettled. Does she have some bad memories with dragons? When I asked, she said no. Then why?

"We've been fighting golems for a while. It's natural to be anxious about a new battle. Besides, dragons are symbolic of strength. It's odd not to be nervous... although it seems like such words don't exist in Second's dictionary!"

I see. Regardless of the nervousness, being cautious about a new battle is a good thing. I gave her a thumbs up and said, "Good job." She laughed awkwardly, saying, "I feel silly for being so nervous."

On the other hand, Echo was completely calm. This might be due to her high VIT or just her personality. Either way, she's very reliable. Her thumbs up was as firm as mine.

While we were talking, we arrived at the Meteo Dungeon. It's a V-shaped valley with steep cliffs that seem to reach the sky, and a quiet stream flows at the bottom.

"Ah, there they are."

We immediately spotted a dragon.

Fortunately, it was the weakest of the six types, the "White Dragon." Despite its name, it's undoubtedly a dragon.

"It's huge!"

Echo's eyes widened as she exclaimed. Indeed, it's large, about 10 meters long, with beautiful, rough white scales.

"A-are we going to fight that!?"

Sylvia was completely intimidated.

"Yes. I'll show you how to do it first, so watch closely."

I readied my longbow and approached the White Dragon, considering the range. Then I summoned Angolmois with "Spirit Summoning."

"―A dragon, huh."

His reaction, transmitted through telepathy, was rather indifferent.

"It's possession."

"As you wish."

I activated "Spirit Possession," and Angolmois merged with me in a rainbow of light.

Ah, this is great! This is amazing every time. The ultimate sense of omnipotence, the ultimate ecstasy.

Currently, "Spirit Possession" is at level 5, with a 4x stat boost, 270 seconds of possession time, and a 290-second cooldown. It's stronger, longer, and more intense than before. I'm completely hooked.

Now, with possession activated, I can't waste a second. The goal is to learn "Dragon Horse Archery." First, I need to fulfill the condition of attacking at least once with each of the seven skills from Infantry to Flying Knight.

I prepared "Infantry Archery" and shot immediately.

"Roar!?"

The arrow pierced the White Dragon's thigh, causing it to roar in pain.

I quickly followed with "Bishop Archery," which pierced the dragon's leg.

The enraged White Dragon charged at me. I used "Gold General Archery" to knock it back, then prepared "Horned Knight Archery" and fired immediately.

"Roar!"

When it made a silly sound, it was a signal for a breath attack. I canceled the "Knight Archery" I was preparing and ran in a circle around the White Dragon to easily dodge the breath attack.

After the breath attack, the dragon was momentarily stunned, which was the perfect opportunity for a full attack.

I first used "Flying Knight Archery," then "Silver General Archery," and finally "Knight Archery." This fulfilled the condition of attacking once with each of the seven skills. All that was left was to finish it off with "Horned Knight Archery."

I used "Gold General Archery" to counter the charge and ran to avoid the breath attack. As long as I defended against these, the White Dragon was easy to handle. It would also attack with its tail when its HP dropped below 20%, but I would defeat it before that happened.

The White Dragon went down. I had been targeting its legs, which caused this.

"Roar! Roar!"

I shot "Horned Knight Archery" at the downed White Dragon. It couldn't resist and was beaten up. Normally, I would use "Flying Knight Archery" to deal efficient damage, but since the White Dragon had little HP, it could die at any moment after going down. To avoid wasting time, I only used "Horned Knight Archery."

"Roar!"

Just before it could get up, the White Dragon let out a final roar and fell. It couldn't withstand the onslaught. I was glad I didn't need to use "Flying Knight Archery."

"―That's how it's done."

I released the possession and returned to Sylvia and Echo. They were speechless, mouths agape.

"I did it alone this time, but from now on, we'll all do it together."

Silence.

"The strategy for the White Dragon is simple. Counter the charge with "Gold General Archery" and dodge the breath attack after the silly sound. Just follow these two rules."

Silence.

"Are you ready? Alright, let's start―"

"Wait, wait!"

Finally, Sylvia spoke.

"Second, do you realize what you just did? You defeated a dragon alone! That's an incredible feat! And... are you not afraid?"

Echo continued Sylvia's sentence.

Not afraid...?

It seems there's a misunderstanding. I can't have them lose their nerve. I need to clarify this.

"Let me be clear. I'm not afraid."

I could feel them holding their breath.

"Considering our stats, we won't die unless the White Dragon's strongest attack lands three critical hits. As I said, counter the charge with 'Gold General Archery' and dodge the breath attack. If you follow these rules, it's not a big deal. Anyone can do it."

"Wh-what!?"

"Besides, we're aiming to be the best in the world. Eventually, we'll one-shot the White Dragon. The First Test members shouldn't be scared of this level of opponent."

"One-shot..."

"And I just realized I didn't explain that we won't die even if we take three hits from the White Dragon."

"Right!?"

"Ugh!"

Sylvia and Echo were angry. I'm really sorry.

I was lecturing with a smug face, but it was my fault. It's embarrassing.

"Isn't this a case of being surprised and scolded at the same time?"

"Second! Apologize!"

"I'm sorry!"

After sharing the information properly, we began our dragon hunting in earnest.

Thank you for reading.