| Author: TA☆KA | Original Source: Kakuyomu / Syosetu |
| Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library |
I gripped the unrefined swords tightly in both hands, feeling a surge of power. After that, I buffed myself, boosting my own abilities to their limits.
“I have more than enough top-quality recovery items, over 100 Phoenix Drops, and an Escape Scroll in case things get really bad. Alright, you only get $5 for snacks1! Bananas don’t count! Let’s start this campaign!”
Without hesitation, I jumped off the ridge and bolted toward the center of the vast white caldera. I leaped and ran down the caldera’s steep, almost cliff-like walls, sending up clouds of snow in my wake. As I got down, I could finally see it.
(It’s looking at me, isn’t it? I knew it wasn’t just an object. It probably sensed me even when I was on the other side of the mountain.)
When I got close enough to tag it, a name appeared.
(Cocytus Dragon Kaina? Why do I feel like this won’t be the only enemy… Still, its yellow color indicates it’s around Level 100. That’s shady… A normal Mob at this level wouldn’t pose a problem, but this creature seems impossible to beat. It must be either a Boss or part of a Raid. If this is Raid, then even Blue Mobs would take me down. Maybe I’ll strike a hit for the sake of it and just bolt out. That sounds like a plan. Still, this thing’s huge!)
Even from about 100 meters away, its sheer size was overwhelming.
(This was probably what the Supersauruses looked like!)
It stretched about 40 to 50 meters in height, with a long neck reminiscent of a Plesiosaur. Its limbs were thick and sturdy, like those of an elephant or rhinoceros. Its entire body was pure white, covered in icy, crystal-like scales that gleamed under the light, casting dark lapis lazuli shadows.
Two pairs of wings sprouted from its back. The four bat-like wings were tinged with a light blue hue. Thick, twisted white horns, similar to those of a goat, extended towards the back of its head. Its face was lined with countless thorn-like icicles that shimmered like a frozen beard.
As I approached, standing about 50 meters away, I slowed down, moving carefully, trying to check for any warning signs. The dragon appeared to be lying on the ground, as if asleep, but I could see its eyes fixed on me.
At 40 meters, it let out a deep breath through its nostrils. At 30 meters, it tilted its chin in my direction. By the time I was just 20 meters away, the dragon lifted its massive chin from the ground, fully turning its head toward me, its golden eyes locked on mine.
(This must be the battle point then.)
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed across the landscape, shaking the earth beneath me. The sound was like a massive tremor, undoubtedly coming from the dragon.
“Powerful human child! You are worthy to stand before me!”
(It spoke?!)
“Endure my test and show me your strength,” it said, standing up fully, lifting its face toward the sky. I could feel its throat swelling, preparing for something.
“This is bad!!!” I quickly swapped the sword in my left hand for a large, kite-shaped shield and held it firmly. “Come at me then!”
| Skill Name | Guardian’s Pledge |
|---|---|
| Class | Tank: Sentinel Knight |
| Effects | Boosts Shield Strength by 2,000. Increases Magic and Physical Resistance by 250%. Boosts Evasion and Agility by 80%. |
With the massive kite shield in hand, I raised it and forcefully drove the sharply angled bottom into the ground. I was just in time as a blinding torrent of white light came barreling towards me.
The dragon’s powerful breath attack tore up the snowfield around me. Yet it wasn’t enough to penetrate my defense.
“So it still attacks without any notice?! Damn it! I really looked forward to talking with this one!!!”
(What the? I took no damage! Was this just a test? Was it trying to test the waters?)
The white light suddenly dispersed, and I wasted no time. With my right hand still holding a sword, I thrust it forward at the dragon and yelled, “Eat this!”
| Skill Name | Magic Break |
|---|---|
| Class | Mage: Arc Wizard |
| Description | Destroys the opponent’s Magic Resistance and deals Magic Damage. |
It was one of the best beginner skills for any Mage Class.
The sound of destruction, like glass shattering, echoed through the snowfield. A spider-web-like magic circle surrounded the dragon before melting away into nothingness.
“ARGHHHH!!!” The dragon shuddered, and its white scales cracked and splintered like shards of ice.
With a slow, deliberate motion, it collapsed, shaking the ground as it fell into the snow with a cloud of dust rising around it.
“Huh? What? W-Why? WHY?! Why did it fall???” I barely had time to process what had happened when the dragon moved again.
Slowly, it lifted its neck and jaw, then pushed itself up on all four limbs, looking at me once more.
“U-Urgh…”
“Oh, so it was just a feint. I should’ve known. There’s no way it was going to be this easy!” I muttered to myself, feeling the strength return to my body. “Alright, how about this then!”
(I don’t have a staff equipped, but I guess it’s fine. I’ll hit it with this and get out!)
With a fierce shout, I raised my right hand high before swinging it down with all my might.
“You! Shall not! Pass!”
| Skill Name | Mars Inferno |
|---|---|
| Type | Arc Wizard Fire Skill |
| Description | Releases a compressed mass of scorching hot flames. |
This was the pinnacle of fire-based magic, a skill known for its unparalleled attack power.
The following moment, a small, sun-like orb of light appeared just meters above the dragon’s head. The heat was so intense that the very earth beneath the dragon began to melt.
The pressure of the explosion, combined with the low atmospheric pressure at this altitude, amplified the destructive force beyond anything I had anticipated.
Plasma, born from the high-density flames, spread out, carving into the earth. The destructive winds born from it scattered the snow, rocks, and ground like dust. In an instant, most of the outer ridge of the mountain had been shaved away.
The shockwave tore through the atmosphere, pushing away clouds and triggering massive storms across the ground. Trees in the distance were uprooted and swept aside like blades of grass.
Before I could react, the ground beneath my feet vanished, completely obliterated by the blast. I felt myself being caught in the shockwave, tossed into the air like a weightless piece of debris, blown away by the force of my own spell.
“WHYYYY?! Whoa! Ouch! Ahhh! That hurt!!! Aaaargh!!!”
The force of the blast sent me flying, slamming me into the earth with terrifying speed. I felt my body gouging the ground as I was hurled toward the outer rim of the mountain range.
The impact was relentless—each moment I tried to stop myself, I was torn away again, scraping along the mountainside. Before I knew it, I was being flung up and out of the mountain range entirely, tumbling through the air.
“Why is this so slippery?! Ow! Urgh… Oh, oh, oh!!!”
I must’ve fallen 400, maybe 500 meters, bouncing, flipping, and twisting as I hit rock after rock.
“Yeeeowch! God damn it! That hurts!!! Ughr… Aaa!!!”
Finally, I crashed into a massive boulder, the force of the impact shattering it.
“Blegh!” I groaned, collapsing to the ground face down, my rear pointing skyward and my head turned towards the summit.
(Just what in the world happened?!) I thought.
The roaring winds from the blast were still swirling around me. The wind that had been rushing down the mountain now shifted, pulling back toward the blast’s hypocenter, reversing direction with startling force.
My cloak, caught in the wind, flapped wildly, flipping over my head and leaving my rear embarrassingly exposed.
“What am I, am ostrich?!” I muttered, my voice muffled beneath the cloak. “Argh! God damn it! Screw this!” I vigorously brushed off the cloak and stood up. “Just what the hell happened?!” I shouted, looking around with confusion.
“W-What the…”
The once snowy landscape had been obliterated. Most of the snow had been blown away, leaving behind bare, jagged rock and deep scars that stretched from the summit all the way down the mountainside.
“What happened to the inside?” Without hesitation, I leaped back toward the summit, urgency building as I ascended.
As I neared the peak, I noticed it was different.
“T-The mountain range’s shape…” Cold sweat covered my entire body. “It’s quite different from when I first came here… Why do I feel the summit doesn’t look as rugged anymore… Where’s the highest peak? Huh? It’s gone, I think. Is it? Really?!”
The outer rim of the caldera, once encircled by the mountain range, was now almost nonexistent. The snow had completely vanished, and the caldera itself was hollowed out, replaced by charred, blackened rock. In some areas, red lava bubbled and smoldered.
It was a scene of pure destruction. It felt like I’d get the World Heritage Destroyer title at any moment.
My face was pale as I surveyed the calamitous damage. Turning to look down at the foothill, I noticed something even more unsettling. The sea of clouds that usually blanketed the area had completely disappeared.
The explosion had cleared the view below so dramatically that the clouds seemed to have been pushed back in a perfect radius around the mountain. There were no clouds for several kilometers. The trees had been flattened, leaving a wide, barren stretch that radiated out from the mountain’s peak for at least 20 to 30 kilometers.
“What the hell is this?! Why does this look like a repeat of the Tunguska event?! No, it’s a bit smaller. The area is about the size of Tokyo, so I guess it’s not that bad. Yea… Not that bad!!! Everything’s good!”
