"One-on-One with Amphisbaena"
Drake, his fire wings propelling him, hovered over the vast lake.
The lake water, reflecting the numerous crystals, shimmered with the brilliance of azure gemstones.
This massive lake on the 27th floor connected to the outer ocean; a decade or so ago, monsters from the ocean used this route to enter the Dungeon.
This problem was solved by the Hera Familia.
They used the remains of Leviathan, obtained after its defeat, as a plug, effectively sealing the passage between the Dungeon and the ocean.
Even in death, the sea behemoth's aura kept all monsters away.
However, this resulted in a concentration of monsters within this lake. No one knew how many lurked beneath the calm surface.
Drake's target, the Lone King Amphisbaena, resided here.
According to other adventurers' explorations, defeating Amphisbaena first requires luring it from underwater.
The most suitable battleground is an area with multiple footholds, as Amphisbaena's pale blue flames can melt even high-level equipment; direct confrontation is impossible, requiring evasion.
This wasn't a problem for Drake, who possessed flight.
Drake could sense Amphisbaena in the depths of the lake beneath him.
As a Lone King, Amphisbaena's presence was exceptionally strong; no other monsters dared to approach.
Drake produced Miach's custom potion and drank it in one gulp.
His magic flow began to stagnate, and his limbs grew weak. Once the potion's effects fully manifested, Drake prepared for battle.
"[Fire Dragon's Roar!]"
Drake's face contorted; a magic circle appeared before him.
A pillar of fire slammed into the lake's surface, instantly creating a large cloud of steam. The lake water was violently agitated, forming a massive whirlpool.
"ROAR!!!"
Before Drake could finish his attack, a deafening roar erupted from the lake.
Drake ceased his attack, but the whirlpool didn't slow; it intensified.
With a shattering sound, a large spray of water erupted as a white shadow burst from the depths.
The lower-level floor boss, the two-headed dragon Amphisbaena, finally revealed itself.
It was a pure white, strangely shaped dragon. The white scales covering its body, while not as uniformly arranged as the dragon scales Drake was familiar with, possessed a unique beauty.
Judging by its body alone, Amphisbaena resembled a fairytale "phantom dragon," but its four blood-red eyes clearly indicated a ferocious beast.
Its body bifurcated at the top, two slender necks supporting two heads with a single consciousness.
Both heads fixed their gaze on Drake, clearly enraged by the disturbance.
Both heads roared simultaneously, the immense sound waves pushing Drake's hair back.
Drake dug his pinky in his ear. "Loud much! I hope your strength matches your roar."
Different gauntlets materialized on Drake's arms.
Amphisbaena's left head snapped its jaws shut, then raised its head and neck, scattering broken scales and dragon blood. Below, Drake maintained an uppercut stance.
The other head stared blankly, clearly caught off guard. Drake swiftly approached, delivering a powerful kick that sent the head flying.
Drake flexed his arms within the gauntlets, feeling the enhanced power.
After receiving the Divine Blessing, [Innate Spirit Equipment] had become a skill, boosting his attack power.
While Drake's punches and kicks were already powerful, the shattered scales were likely due to the enhancement provided by [Innate Spirit Equipment].
Both heads turned, their four eyes radiating killing intent.
Amphisbaena's massive body moved with surprising speed; both heads lunged at Drake in quick succession.
Drake's fire wings beat rapidly; he spun in the air, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws. However, the other head blocked his path; Drake saw the pale blue flames in its throat.
The next instant, a torrent of pale blue flames erupted from the dragon's mouth, engulfing Drake.
This was Amphisbaena's most powerful attack, a spear capable of piercing even high-level equipment.
Gulp! Gulp!
Swallowing sounds echoed as the massive pale blue flames rapidly shrunk, revealing the figure within.
Drake's mouth was wide open, the flames flowing into his body.
After the last of the flames was consumed, Drake wiped his mouth. "Absorbing the power… hmm? It didn't surge. Oh well, I'm fired up!"
Miach, true to his reputation as the god of medicine, had crafted a debilitating potion that sealed even the Dragon Slayer Magic's power enhancement.
Fortunately, the Dragon Slayer Magic's fire immunity remained unaffected; otherwise, Drake would have suffered significant damage.
Amphisbaena, unfazed by the ineffective attack, continued its assault.
Its head rammed forward with the force of a siege weapon.
"[Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!]"
Drake's fist collided with the dragon's head; Amphisbaena shrieked, scalding dragon blood spraying from beneath the shattered white scales.
Drake, however, wasn't unharmed; weakened, his strength was no match for the dragon's; he was sent flying.
Before Drake could recover, a white tail cleaved through the water, whipping towards him.
Drake channeled all his remaining magic, creating flames that erupted from his legs. Propelled by the jet of flames, Drake backflipped in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the massive white tail.
The tail's powerful gust buffeted Drake's flames, but it missed its target.
With a beat of his fire wings, Drake regained his balance, flames forming in his hands, then coalescing into a sphere.
"[Fire Dragon's Blazing Inferno!]"
Drake hurled the fireball at Amphisbaena below.
One of Amphisbaena's heads lunged forward, spewing a large cloud of red mist.
Drake's fireball, entering the red mist, was significantly weakened; only a small portion struck Amphisbaena, leaving only a scorch mark on its scales.
This was Amphisbaena's second breath attack, a shield that significantly weakens magic.
Possessing both spear and shield, Amphisbaena was incredibly difficult to defeat; even with a Level 5 adventurer leading the party, a team of twenty or more is required.
Amphisbaena unleashed another torrent of pale blue flames; lacking intelligence, it didn't seem to remember the flames' ineffectiveness against Drake.
This time, Drake didn't bother absorbing the flames; they wouldn't enhance his strength anyway.
The pale blue flames parted, revealing Drake within.
The gauntlets on Drake's arms vanished, replaced by a long-handled weapon—a large blade with a dragon head in a snarling pose between the blade and the hilt.
"Next round!"
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