The battlefield at the gap - 2

"Yes, it's a legendary monster, but it's still a monster. Monsters and magic users are drawn to each other. Now that we think about it, could it be reacting to magical essence? Isn't that the same with dragons?"

That's right— if we can't find where it is, we can just summon it.

Of course, if we're going to do something so reckless, I'm the only one who can do it.

That said, randomly searching through this land is just too impractical. We need to narrow down our focus a bit...

I step outside and start walking around.

I don't have a specific destination in mind.

I keep walking to avoid stopping my thoughts.

I emerge into an open space.

Children are playing in the square.

They're tossing and bouncing spherical objects.

Though I can't quite figure out what game they're playing, children's play seems much the same across every world.

My gaze shifts to the ball moving naturally around.

At that moment, it naturally clicked, and a good idea came to mind.

That's right, there's no use looking down all the time.

Ionosphere...

I have no idea how the universe in this world is structured, but there are compasses, thunderstorms occur, and nights grow dark.

They're all the same as Earth.

Then it should be possible to reflect electromagnetic waves too...

On Earth, radio waves with specific frequencies can bounce off the ionosphere, formed high above the planet, and reach distant locations.

Using this method, I examine distant strategic points with exploratory magic.

The very first technique I ever developed.

I've used it countless times, and now I handle it as naturally as breathing.

It shouldn't be impossible.

Reflect the magic to survey the distant area, checking for the presence of a dragon.

If one is found, as Kisei said, lure it in.

Transform the scouting magic into a mass of magical essence.

Create a path of magical essence, like bait to lure it, guiding it toward the sealing site.

It's an implausible plan, but not impossible.

Immediately refine the strategy and strictly instruct the reconnaissance team to prepare for combat.

Indeed, these are elite soldiers.

Despite having endured an entire month without any progress, their expressions immediately hardened.

In the end, they decided on a remarkably simple strategy.

Set traps and magical arrays on the battlefield deployed in the royal plaza.

Use the ionosphere to locate the dragon, then lure it in with magical essence.

Will a method like this even work?

There's only one way to find out—try it.

Within a day, preparations for battle were complete, and numerous magic circles were drawn across the vast battlefield.

Arranged in a circular pattern, as if outlining a ring.

At the center stood I, holding the staff I had used all along.

Focusing to locate the dragon, somewhere in the world.

Those watching whispered that this moment revealed the true power of the Demon King.

Extending my awareness into the magical particles surrounding me.

Thanks to having used magic countless times, controlling magical particles had become as natural as breathing.

I absorbed the magical particles around me and channeled them into the staff I held.

Unable to dispel the spell inscribed within the gem embedded in the staff, powerful electromagnetic waves were emitted upward into the sky.

I understand.

The electromagnetic waves I released were reflected in the upper atmosphere and reached a distant location.

Not here. It's not here.

Carefully and methodically, I conducted a thorough investigation, adjusting the angle step by step.

Next direction.

This direction... is where I fought Noimann at the mining site.

I transmitted a powerful electromagnetic wave once again.

The response... there it is. Just as I thought, it's here.

A surge of strength flooded through my body, relieved and energized at the same time.

"Everyone! I've located the dragon! I'm bringing it here now. Prepare as planned."

At my words, everyone sprang into action.

Some moved far away to carry out long-range attacks.

Others concealed themselves near the magic circle, ready to perform sealing.

Keeping one eye on everyone's preparations, I altered the quality of the magic I was casting.

First, I carefully pinpointed the dragon's location.

The place looked nothing more than an endless stretch of mountain slope.

Yet, there was a jagged, collapsed area from which an unmistakable amount of magical energy was leaking—far beyond what one would expect under normal circumstances.

The pattern of magical energy was one I'd seen before. Undoubtedly, it was a dragon.

It was eating. Consuming buried magic stones, boosting its power. The density was even greater than before.

Looks like it's hungry.

Good. I'll feed it well. Though, it'll be poisoned.

The magical energy transformed, concentrating above the dragon buried beneath the ground, coalescing into a dense mass.

The concentration of magical energy progressed sufficiently, gathering a vast amount in midair.

During this time, I closely monitored the dragon’s movements.

I realized the dragon had now shifted its attention to the magical energy I had gathered.

It’s coming out.

The surrounding earth trembled, and rocks began to collapse.

Like a predator lunging at its prey, it burst forth.

Yet the dragon's hunger would never be satisfied.

The magical essence prepared as bait instantly dispersed and vanished.

As the dragon explored its surroundings, clusters of magical essence were laid out like a single path.

Driven purely by instinct, it lunged at each cluster without hesitation.

Unaware that the essence dispersed and disappeared just before consumption, it followed the path straight ahead, guided solely by instinct.

The dragon's speed was incredible, moving across the continent in an instant and arriving at the battlefield where we awaited.

"Here it comes! Prepare!"

At my words, everyone readied their weapons once more.

At the same time, a deafening roar echoed, and the ground trembled beneath us. The mana was quivering.

The black mass, initially visible only as a dot, had grown large and clearly defined by the time we noticed it.

"Here it is again. Whenever you're around, everything gets destroyed. I'm sorry, but I'll have to seal you away."

A dragon's roar echoed right in front of me.