Dragons are extremely powerful creatures. That point must be made clear first, even though they now stand on the edge of the historical stage and many Great Dragon have been killed since humans grew stronger. That does not mean these beings, which most people think exist only in storybooks and songs, are actually weak.
Even if a human cultivates to the highest tier of Gold, it is generally very hard to defeat an adult Great Dragon in a one on one fight. Most cannot do it, and only a small number of outstanding individuals succeed. For everyone else, dragons are still a terrifying natural disaster.
Dragon hunting is technical work. Besides solo combat, there is also the much better option of group combat. The Edward Family specializes in this knowledge, and as a family famous for hunting dragons, they have a complete and proven set of procedures.
At this moment, Lyles Edward and his group were tracking the traces of that Red Dragon. By relying on methods to detect dragon blood, along with Lyles Edward's own Bloodline Sense, they could accurately determine the dragon's movements. Behind him were more than a dozen members of the Dragon Hunter Corps who served as retainers, all fully armed.
Their equipment was specially designed to counter the flames of a Red Dragon, including custom fire resistant suits. In their hands were oversized anti-beast weapons made specifically for the massive bodies of Great Dragon, crafted from special materials and paired with support items like poisons. Including Lyles Edward, there were three Gold and more than twenty members at Silver or above, which was the standard setup of the Edward Family Dragon Hunter Corps.
Hunting a Great Dragon is still hunting at its core, so long term planning and tracking the prey are essential steps. This time, however, something went wrong. It might have been the first time in Lyles Edward's life that, shortly after entering the forest and before even finding clues, the dragon came straight to him.
"Watch out!!!"
"Roar!!!"
That familiar massive red figure flew in from the sky again. It was the same Red Dragon they had fought before. The wound on its chest had been caused by Lyles Edward, and the power in his bloodline let him sense the dragon's arrival earlier than anyone else, along with the thing following behind it.
He did not know what that black red object was, but Lyles Edward was certain that the Red Dragon had locked onto him. It flew straight at him, carrying that unknown thing behind it. His pupils shrank, and instinct moved faster than thought as the distance closed in an instant.
He slammed his foot down, shattering the ground, and drew the ferocious Dragon-Shaped Greatsword from his back. Lyles Edward let out a roar that no longer sounded human, and the greatsword tore through the air. A near tangible Battle Aura, like a swimming Great Dragon, wrapped around the blade and erupted in a burst that cleared all trees within nearly a hundred meters.
He met the diving Red Dragon head on as it leaned forward and slashed down with its hind claws. Yet Lyles Edward did not feel the expected impact of colliding with a Great Dragon. Instead, just before contact, the Red Dragon performed a sharp, high difficulty rattlesnake maneuver.
The greatsword swung past it and struck the black red unknown thing flying behind. A massive fireball dozens of meters tall exploded outward, carrying violent wind pressure andShard molten rock fragments like an aerial bomb detonating between man and dragon. The dragon truly could fly, dragging things out the whole way, and Belial's Magic had already been heavily consumed.
The crystal released the heat that had been constrained within it. The central temperature even surpassed the Red Dragon's breath, and the shrapnel-like fragments and impact force hit almost fully. A Dragon-Shaped Greatsword tore through the flames as Lyles Edward stood grim and steady.
At the critical moment, he shielded himself with the greatsword and relied on Battle Aura to protect his body. Combined with the powerful physique granted by his bloodline, it was uncomfortable but not serious. The charred skin and damaged muscle on the surface were already healing at a visible speed.
"What was that? A dragon disaster would not use Magic!"
From ancestral records and his own hunting experience, they knew that dragon disasters, when driven mad and losing reason, gained stronger physical functions but lost the intelligent use of Magic. So what had he just struck, because that Magic clearly did not belong to the Red Dragon.
"Roar!!!"
From the curtain of fire beside him, the huge head of the Great Dragon lunged out, jaws wide as it bit toward Lyles Edward. His Gold Rank deputy charged in with a heavy hammer, smashing the dragon's head aside and shouting a warning.
"Captain, be careful!"
"Thanks. Everyone, form up and begin the hunt!"
Those Silver level Warrior could not directly confront a Great Dragon. Their role was to harass from the sides, create openings for the three Gold Rank the Lord, and link into formations that still carried considerable power.
Most of them had rotated through the unit, and only a few had followed Lyles Edward to witness the deaths of seven Great Dragon. Their raw strength aside, when it came to fighting dragons, they were professionals. Experience guided their movements without hesitation.
"Watch my draw slash, then… huh?!"
A member with the codename Shrimp Head, wielding a long blade, was sent flying by a sudden acceleration and a tail strike from the Red Dragon. The Red Dragon drove its powerful limbs like an ultra heavy tank charge, smashing aside a greatsword user who was charging power.
It leapt again the moment it landed and spat a fireball that blew away an axe shield user preparing a counter. Something felt wrong. In the midst of battle, Lyles Edward, as the strongest and most unusual presence, keenly sensed that the Red Dragon's fighting style and power were different from before.
Its moves were more flexible and varied, and its strength was greater. If not for the wound on its chest, it would have seemed like a completely different individual. These changes alone were enough to make weaker members fail to hold on, suffering injury after injury.
This Red Dragon fought very differently from its previous wild, berserk, and reckless style of trading injuries. It could even be called abnormal in a simple three step pattern. First a charge, then airborne fire, then another charge.
"Gah!"
A longsword user trying to mount the dragon was smashed away by the charge. Another greatsword user attempting a triple charge was blown away by a fireball. A beast-eared girl trying to rescue someone was also sent flying by a tail strike, showing no mercy at all.
Lyles Edward realized something was wrong and surged forward with his greatsword, ignoring the cost and danger. Dragon scales burst from his arms, tearing through his inner lining. His target was the original wound on the chest.
"Roar!!!"
The Red Dragon spewed surging flames, but Lyles Edward did not dodge and split them apart head on with a single slash. The bloodline power inside him brought not only greater strength, but also pulled his human reason closer to that of a beast.
"Shut up!"
The heavy hammer user charged down from the slope, crushing the hillside underfoot. One brutal blow forced the Red Dragon's jaws shut, colliding with its skull in a dull impact. A greatsword user beside him poured Battle Aura into his weapon and slashed deeply into the dragon's shoulder, sending hot dragon blood spraying out.
The two Gold worked together, smashing their weapons upward into the Red Dragon's lower jaw. The massive body of the Great Dragon was knocked high into the air, exposing the old wound on its chest. With no suspense left, Lyles Edward drove his blade straight through its heart.
Violent Battle Aura surged into the dragon's body, ready to tear its organs apart. Suddenly, a burst of flames erupted from the Red Dragon, blasting the three attackers away. Coughing blood, the dragon flapped its wings and retreated backward at once.
"Do not let it escape!"
Lyles Edward ordered part of the team to escort the wounded back while he led the rest in pursuit. They cut through every obstacle along the way and gradually closed the distance. At the front, Lyles Edward felt as if the dragon glanced back at him, its eyes holding something beyond madness.
Cunning.
Perhaps due to the recent overheating, Lyles Edward felt his blood surge more violently than usual. As they drew closer, the surroundings began to change. The ground shifted from dense forest to scorched black land mixed with crystalline products formed by extreme heat.
The temperature rose sharply. When passing a certain area, he caught a glimpse of something from the corner of his eye that looked very similar to the black red object that had followed the Red Dragon earlier.
"This is… a volcano?!"
Based on prior investigation and his inhuman sense of smell, Lyles Edward identified minerals in the ground that emitted a special scent. These minerals could store and amplify heat, easily causing high temperatures and violent reactions, often forming volcanoes. The traces on the ground matched the products of solidified magma.
A towering black volcano ahead confirmed his judgment. His heart sank as he realized the Red Dragon intended to return to its lair to recover using the volcano's power. In such extreme heat, humans were at a severe disadvantage.