Nugst's body trembled as the life drained from her veins. Her scales dimmed, the glow in her chest faltering.
> "ENOUGH!"
In a desperate move, she lifted Altleno to her mouth and bit down. Her razor teeth scraped violently across her palm, prying his body off her scales. Blood splattered as his grip was finally torn free.
Nugst exhaled in relief—
—but that was her biggest mistake.
The moment Altleno entered her mouth, his aura exploded.
A surge of black and crimson energy erupted from his body, boiling the air inside her throat. Flesh began to decay instantly, smoke and acid steam pouring from her jaws. Her tongue writhed in agony, rotting away under the burning aura.
> "GHHRAAAAHHHHHH!!"
Nugst screamed, thrashing wildly as the decay spread. Her throat burned, scales around her neck cracking from the inside.
The power was eating her alive.
Desperate, Nugst charged mana into her core. Flames gathered at the back of her throat — a suicidal instinct to purge the infection.
With a deafening roar, she unleashed her dragon fire. The world turned white and red as the inferno burst outward, scorching trees, stone, and sky.
But Altleno had already jumped.
He landed before her, body half-charred yet still standing tall. His aura flickered like living fire — alive, enraged, unstoppable.
Nugst stumbled backward, choking on her own blood. Her eyes were wide, not with fury — but with fear.
She could feel the corruption spreading deeper. Her tongue — gone. Her mouth — melting. Her throat — burning.
With a final, maddened scream, she dug her claws into her face and ripped out her own tongue, blood pouring like a river. But it was too late — the decay had reached her throat, gnawing at the very source of her flame.
For the first time in her long, cursed life — the Dragon of Death was dying.
And the one before her, that blood-soaked human…
was no longer just human.
Altleno's breath came out in harsh bursts, his body trembling but his eyes burning brighter than ever. The once-mighty Nugst towered before him, wounded but defiant.
> "You… think this is enough… human?" she rasped, blood seeping from her fangs.
But Altleno didn't answer. He moved.
In a flash, he sprinted up her forearm, leaping onto her shoulder. Nugst swung a massive claw at him, but he ducked and dashed along her scales — his speed now a blur. The mana he had absorbed coursed through his veins like lightning, making him faster, sharper, stronger.
> "Stay still, insect!"
Her tail whipped across the air, shattering trees, but Altleno was already on her back, climbing higher. He gathered aura into his fist — black and crimson flames swirling violently.
Then he roared.
> "HAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
He brought his fist down with godlike force.
The impact echoed across the forest, a shockwave tearing through the trees. Nugst screamed, the ground trembling as her colossal body slammed against the earth.
Dust rose. The sky darkened.
Altleno stood on her head, panting, staring down at the fallen dragon. But even as her breath grew shallow, Nugst still tried to lift herself — refusing to die by a human's hand.
> "I… am the Dragon of Death… I cannot—"
Altleno's aura flared again, engulfing his body in violent light. He clenched his fists, jumped high, and unleashed a barrage of devastating blows.
Each strike echoed like thunder.
Each impact split the air with fury.
Each punch was vengeance, survival, and pure determination.
The dragon convulsed, her scales shattering, her breath faltering. Finally, her roar faded into a dying whisper.
> "So… this is… death…"
Her head fell, eyes dimming, a river of blood pouring from her mouth. The earth shook as her enormous body collapsed, lifeless.
Altleno stood atop her corpse, chest heaving, blood dripping down his chin. His aura slowly faded, leaving only silence — and the whispering wind that carried the scent of victory and death.
He had done it.
Altleno — the boy once left to die — had slain the Dragon of Death.