Demon King II-3

"The Demon King has arrived."

As I observed the dragon, various forces began to arrive.

Leading them were powerful mages tasked with guarding the nation, followed shortly afterward by naval combat units assembling.

Good, with this many gathered...

Just as I felt a slight sense of relief, the dragon's massive mouth opened.

From past experience, it was clear that a large-scale attack was imminent.

Before I could even deploy my wind defense, a wall of water and a whirlwind erupted before me.

Created by Noah, the water mage, and Melissa, the wind mage. The three of them—Noah, Melissa, and the lightning mage Ray—form a rock-paper-scissors dynamic.

A trio of young girls from the Demon King's realm. Yet their power easily surpasses that of the most formidable mages from any nation.

The Demon King's realm naturally attracted outcasts and powerful individuals from various nations. It actively welcomed those who possessed strong magical abilities they couldn't control, offering guidance and training to harness their power.

They are the girls Noel gathered.

The magic they unleashed counteracted the dragon's breath.

The dragon unleashed flames of immense power, rivaling even William's, filling the surroundings with a thunderous roar.

The water-filled tornado clashed with the roaring flames, canceling out their momentum.

Yet the flames proved stronger, pushing back the tornado.

Amazing.

Those two are among the top fighters in this nation.

Rai had already prepared his next move.

He hurled a spear crackling with lightning.

Normally, it would pierce through monsters, boasting exceptional destructive power.

But the dragon was different from ordinary monsters. Just as Rai thought, blue-white lightning surged across its two horns, and then a powerful bolt of lightning shot out between them.

The lightning struck the spear, causing an explosion. The spear shattered into nothingness.

"Kinda put in my best effort... "

"Looks like I need to channel more power next time."

"Damn it."

The three felt the dragon's power firsthand. It was clearly unlike any monster they had faced before—overwhelming, immense.

For a brief moment, the dragon's form seemed to blur.

By the time they realized it, its long tail had whipped around like a whip, sending the deployed soldiers flying.

Too fast! How can such a massive body move so quickly!?

They raised multiple earthen barriers, deflecting the tail's attack.

The mage units deployed in the rear immediately used healing crystals.

Healing crystals are effective for recovery unless the injury is fatal.

The soldiers instantly surged forward, plunging into chaotic combat.

Magically enchanted weapons were launched toward the dragon, but their attacks were blocked by the creature's tough scales and inflicted no damage.

Ships fired cannonballs one after another. Though they inflicted no damage, the powerful impacts were enough to restrict the creature's movement.

Yet an extraordinary being—swiftly flapping its wings, it evaded the blast waves with the force of a storm.

Its immense body, merely by moving, caused massive destruction.

This is hopeless.

Then a single gleam approached at high speed.

"Everyone get back!"

It was William.

William gathered bright white flames in both hands.

Moving at high speed, he struck the dragon's side face directly. A solid hit landed.

Whether from his experience fighting Takamine of Nihon or not, the blow was heavy and powerful.

The dragon recoiled, visibly displeased.

Then it readied another breath attack.

William responded by forming a massive block of flames, compressing it fiercely.

At the same moment, flames collided with each other.

It was a stalemate. Or perhaps William's was slightly stronger? If this continued, he would prevail.

William's flames were gradually pushing back the dragon's breath, nearing the dragon's face when—just before reaching it—the flames in front of the dragon suddenly exploded.

The world brightened instantly, blinding William for a fleeting moment.

The dragon soared higher than William, its tail lashing down.

William descended into the sea, using bursts of flame to slow his fall.

He quickly rose from the water, taking a step back.

It seemed he had managed to use the flames skillfully to cushion the impact.

Each unit launched its attack, but all were repelled and left in ruins.

"Everyone, I'm sorry—I took too long. Fall back!"

I wasn't just standing there watching.

It took me longer than expected to seize control of the magical energy in this area.

But thanks to everyone buying me time, I managed to fully gather the energy.

"First, the wind."

The airflow around me shifted, and a strong wind began to swirl around the dragon, lifting it up. As I swung my hand downward, a massive gush of wind descended, slamming the dragon into the sea.

"Next, the sea."

The sea thickened like syrup, clinging to the dragon and pulling its body down into the depths.

The sea further transformed, becoming a barrage of water spears that surged toward the dragon.

Within the sea, an endless array of spears formed, raining down upon the dragon.

Delicate feathers and fragile horns were easily pierced and shattered.

Scales began to peel away one by one, and wounds multiplied across its body.

It didn't feel like it would end like this. Time to prepare for what comes next.

I began warming the air above and the sea below, temporarily generating a massive amount of steam.

Without regard for my preparations, the dragon's condition rapidly changed.

I could see magical energy spreading throughout its entire body.

Crack!!

The seawater surrounding the dragon was completely blown away. Its body color shifted, turning a deep red as if magma were spilling from within.

So it is... This won't be enough to bring it down.

Next.

Suddenly reduce the atmospheric pressure above, drawing in the heated air. The water vapor condenses into clouds, forming a thundercloud.

A thundercloud unlike anything seen in normal conditions appears only directly above the dragon.

It seems even the Threefold also coordinated their intent to assist.

The dragon flings off its scales, launching them as a barrage of attacks.

Thanks to the wind defense, it slows down considerably before reaching us—just enough to cut through thin skin.

With everyone’s help, we’ve gathered sufficient power.

"Leave."

As I swung my arm downward, a beam of light descended upon the dragon.

From within the light emerged the dragon, plummeting to the ground.

Its entire body was blackened and smoking. Scales were cracked, with fibrous material standing on end. Flames flickered in spots, but extinguished instantly upon hitting the water.

"Did we do it?"

Someone muttered it quietly.

Ah, that's...