Chapter 50

I apologize for the delay in updates.

I have been taking an involuntary break due to poor health.

It felt like my small intestine and large intestine had switched places, and my heart was coming out of my butt, making everything feel really off and my insides were in a mess, but I managed to get over the hump.

I will resume updates.

The dragons that appear in the Meteo Dungeon come in seven varieties, including the boss.

There are six dragons: the White Dragon, Blue Dragon, Yellow Dragon, Green Dragon, Red Dragon, and Gold Dragon, and a massive boss dragon called the Rainbow Dragon with seven-colored scales.

If the White Dragon's strength is 10, the Blue Dragon is 12, the Yellow Dragon is 14, the Green Dragon is 16, and the Red Dragon is around 20. The Gold Dragon jumps up to about 80, and the Rainbow Dragon is probably around 456. As expected, the boss is in a different league in terms of strength.

If it comes to a fight, I should be fine up to the Red Dragon. However, the Gold Dragon, which is about eight times stronger than the White Dragon, might be a bit challenging. I'm fine, but it's a concern for Sylvia and Eco.

The Rainbow Dragon is in a different category. If I were told to defeat it now, I could do it solo, but it would take a long time. However, if we challenge it as a group of three, supporting each other while fighting is almost impossible. Therefore, if possible, I would prefer not to fight the Rainbow Dragon and the Gold Dragon.

Now.

Our purpose this time is not to conquer the Meteo Dungeon, but to learn the Dragon Horse and Dragon King skills.

The condition to learn Dragon Horse is to attack each of the seven skills from Infantry to Rook at least once, deliver the final blow with the Bishop, and do this against five types of dragons. The condition to learn Dragon King is to slay 10 dragons using only the Rook.

To achieve this most efficiently in the Meteo Dungeon, it would be: "Slay 10 White Dragons using only the Rook, and fulfill the Dragon Horse conditions against the White Dragon, Blue Dragon, Yellow Dragon, Green Dragon, and Red Dragon."

In other words, there's no need to deliberately engage the overwhelmingly strong Gold Dragon and Rainbow Dragon.

Therefore, the Red Dragon, which is about twice as strong as the White Dragon, automatically becomes the strongest opponent.

In short, what I'm trying to say is...

"Let's call it a piece of cake."

Dinner time. At the Badgolde tavern, I declared this, slamming down my mug.

We are about halfway through. Today, Sylvia learned Dragon King Archery, Eco learned Dragon King Shield, and I learned Dragon King Sword and Dragon King Archery. The White Dragons we sacrificed easily exceeded 30.

"I've been on edge all day and I'm completely exhausted..."

"Exhausted, exhausted, exhausted..."

Sylvia and Eco slumped over the table. Sylvia seemed to be mentally drained, and Eco physically.

The most troublesome part of today's work was the condition for Eco's Dragon King Shield: "100 consecutive parries." Parrying is very difficult until you get the timing right, so it took quite a while, as expected. Incidentally, Eco described the White Dragon's attacks as "shoulder punches." Even the tough Eco felt a little pain.

"Tomorrow, we only have four left. Just a little more."

I encouraged them. I completed the White Dragon condition for Sylvia and Eco's Dragon Horse today. Tomorrow, we just need to meet the conditions against the Blue Dragon, Yellow Dragon, Green Dragon, and Red Dragon to complete the skill.

"But those four are stronger than the White Dragon! You said the Red Dragon is about twice as strong as the White Dragon, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. There's one thing to note. And I just remembered a good quote. Remember this."

"Huh, what is it?"

"It's fine if you don't hit."

"...I don't know who said it, but it's certainly a 'mysterious saying.' Try to put yourself in the shoes of the subordinates who get caught up in it."

"Huh?"

"Meaning, if Second can do it and I can't, it's no good, right?"

"Huh?"

"No, no, not 'huh?'"

"Huh?"

"First, teach me how to avoid it, you idiot!"

"Ouch!"

I got scolded. Maybe I teased a bit too much.

But I think this is better than being completely drained on the table.

I looked Sylvia in the eye and said as seriously as I could,

"...Sylvia. Seriously, we can't be careless tomorrow. If you hesitate at all, avoid it. Got it?"

"Ugh... Yes."

Sylvia seemed surprised by my sudden seriousness, but she nodded in agreement with the content.

"Eco, if you hesitate, use the Bishop. If it looks like you can't make it, avoid it."

"Got it."

Eco, as always, was obedient.

I confirmed that they were listening attentively and then spoke.

"There are three ways to avoid, and you must remember them. One, if you hear a roar, run in a large circle around the dragon. Two, if it flies up, run in a direction perpendicular to its path. Three, if the dragon turns its head diagonally downward, crouch on the spot."

In order, these are the methods to avoid breath, press, and tail attacks. For breath, avoid efficiently; for press, run full speed; for tail, crouch to avoid.

This is the "optimal solution" that one would normally reach only after being killed by the dragon many times. But in this world, you can't die even once. Therefore, this is a rare strategy that few people know.

"Understood."

Sylvia nodded. She must have swallowed her words, the same question of "How do you know this?" that she had in the past. I decided not to reveal the reason. Because we both know it, she nodded without saying anything.

The actions of monsters and the countermeasures against them. How much of an advantage this knowledge gives in this world is still unclear, but I felt that the return to the world's top rank was not far off.

"Alright. If you keep these three things in mind, your life should be safe. Just do what we practiced with the White Dragon. Any questions?"

"Are we going to conquer the Meteo Dungeon?"

"No."

"Huh, really?"

Sylvia looked surprised. Eco also looked puzzled. Did they think we couldn't conquer it? If so, I need to correct that. The world's top rank can't be underestimated.

"It's not impossible to conquer with proper preparation, but there's no real benefit to doing so."

"Y-You can conquer it, then?"

"Amazing!"

The two looked at me in surprise and disbelief.

Yes, those eyes. The shock of being able to defeat a Rainbow Dragon, which is more than 40 times stronger than a White Dragon, and the mysterious trust and acceptance that it's because it's me. In other words, an overwhelming strength. That's what the world's top rank should be.

"But, Second is quite 'strange,' isn't he? While showing a strong attachment to the vague honor of being the world's top rank, he doesn't care about the specific honor of conquering a dungeon. And when I thought he wanted a mansion, it turns out he's talking about a house fitting for the world's top rank... Is he greedy or indifferent? I can't tell."

Sylvia suddenly voiced her doubts. It seems she wants to call me a pervert. Welcome, that's the right answer. The world's top rank must be somewhat perverted to be able to do the job.

"I just don't want to do unnecessary things. Since I'm going to be the world's top rank anyway, everything is just a process."

"That abnormal calm and unwavering confidence is what I'm saying is strange..."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Well, yeah. You're right."

We laughed for some reason. We were both quite drunk, and this kind of offbeat, candid conversation flowed naturally.

After a while, when Eco started to fall asleep with her face in the bowl, we called it a night.

Tomorrow is the final push for Dragon Horse. Everyone's tension was nicely relieved.

* * *

A fierce battle was unfolding before my eyes.

The enraged Red Dragon, and facing it, Second, gripping his sword and enveloped in a seven-colored aura.

Sylvia and I had already learned Dragon Horse Archery, and Eco had learned Dragon Horse Shield. With three of us always fighting one, whether it was the Green Dragon or the Red Dragon, they were no match for us. This was all thanks to Second's abnormally accurate advice.

Second had also learned Dragon Horse Archery. So why was he fighting now? It was to learn Dragon Horse Sword.

Since we had the chance, he said he would do it solo—just a moment ago, he walked up to the Red Dragon as if he were going for a stroll.

And the battle began.

In one word, it was "beautiful."

Second's movements, refined to the extreme and stripped of all waste, relentlessly cornered the Red Dragon.

This was the culmination of the ultimate pursuit of how to kill efficiently and safely. I felt that this was not an exaggeration.

How much learning, how much practice, and how much risk one must take to reach such heights is beyond my imagination.

I watched intently, not missing a single move, seriously. Both Eco and I were silent, absorbed in the spectacle.

After a while, the Red Dragon fell.

Of course. Second had hit it with the Rook Sword Technique at the highest possible efficiency without taking a single hit.

"Got it. Let's go back."

He turned to us and said it casually.

His expression was the same as always. The face he shows us when we get a corner room at an inn, when he finds a delicious dish at a tavern, or when our shopping comes to exactly 10,000 CL.

It's not just a matter of being calm. It can't be summed up in one word.

There are probably many people who can defeat dragons in this world. But how many can do it as naturally as breathing?

I have seen countless glimpses of his abnormality, but I have never felt it as deeply as today.

And I admire him deeply. I want to be like him, even if I know I can't match him. I can't help but want to follow his great back.

"Let's go back."

Eco stood next to Second, and we headed back.

As we retraced our steps, we heard the faint sound of sword clashes from a distance.

"Second."

"Yeah, someone's fighting. Want to check it out?"

It's rare to meet people in a dungeon, especially an unexplored one like the Meteo Dungeon. That's because only the most reckless or the most skilled come here. Both are rare.

"It's swordplay. And it looks like solo."

Second muttered.

To our surprise, a lone blonde man was fighting a dragon. A woman was visible behind him. She didn't seem to be helping, so she was probably a healer. One thing that caught my attention was that she was wearing a maid's uniform. So the man was probably a noble from somewhere?

"Wow, he's strong?"

Eco tilted her head.

Well, he is strong. He's overwhelming the Yellow Dragon solo.

"Wow, he took it down. From the looks of it, he has more firepower than me."

"What...?"

More firepower than Second? That means he's a monster, doesn't it? Someone who could compete in the title match... Hmm, it's hard to believe.

"Ah, he's going for another one. This time it's the Green Dragon."

The blonde swordsman immediately challenged the Green Dragon.

He pounded his [Swordplay] into the poisonous green scales. Even the Green Dragon was being overwhelmed by him solo, just like the Yellow Dragon.

...Strong. Strong, but... Hmm, I see. I understand what was bothering me.

He is not beautiful.

He seems to handle rushes, breath, presses, and tails well, countering and avoiding them. But compared to Second's battle just a moment ago, the difference was like night and day.

His movements are too wasteful. There are too many gaps in his offense and defense. Moreover, he attacks less than Second and always seems precarious.

The difference between him and Second is so stark that it's almost pitiful.

If he and Second were to fight, the outcome would be obvious. Even if his stats were higher than Second's, the huge difference between them would more than make up for it.

"......!"

Then I realized. I have grown to the point where I can understand this "decisive difference."

In the past, whether I saw Second or the blonde man, I would have been just excited like the first time I saw a title match, without noticing anything.

But now it's different. I can see the beauty, the difference. Now that I have grown with Second, if I see another title match, I might notice something more. No, I'm sure I will.

I lost interest in the blonde man's battle and started thinking about the upcoming title match.

"He'll die if he goes for the Rainbow Dragon. Even the Gold Dragon looks dangerous."

Second was concerned for the blonde man.

If that's true, it's bad. Should we go and warn him?

As I was thinking this, the blonde man and the maid left. They must be skilled to some extent, as they seem to know their limits.

"Alright, let's go back. We should meet up with Yuki as soon as possible and go see the mansion tomorrow~"

Second left the Meteo Dungeon in high spirits, and Eco skipped along, holding his hand.

I can understand how they feel. To be honest, I'm grinning too.

The skill list now has the long-awaited Dragon Horse Archery and Dragon King Archery. We're about to receive 30 billion CL and live in a huge mansion with Second. It's so smooth it's almost scary.

Eco is fine as long as she can be with Second, so there won't be much change, but Yuki's reaction was very noticeable. As we progressed through the Prolin Dungeon, her mouth corners rose day by day, and she was smiling normally by the end. That's Yuki, the expressionless dark ghost.

However, it seems more like she's plotting something, which is scary. Hmm, I need to be on guard...

"Hey, Sylvia, we're leaving you behind!"

"Ah, sorry, I'm coming now!"

Anyway, I will follow the plan and level up Dragon Horse and Dragon King to aim for the title match.

Following Second is the way to go. This time, I really felt it.

I nodded to myself and ran towards that hateful yet beloved big back, which was about to leave me in the dragon's nest.

Thank you for reading.