Faced with someone looking for death, Duanmu Huai clearly didn't bother wasting words. He simply reached into his chest, pulled out a hand cannon, and aimed it directly at the High Elf before him. The Elf froze, staring curiously at the black barrel pointed at his head.
The next moment—
"Bang!!!"
With a deafening blast, the High Elf's head exploded. His body twitched once, then collapsed onto the floor.
"No one is permitted to show disrespect to the Inquisition."
Duanmu Huai snorted coldly at the corpse. His marksmanship wasn't great at long range, but when he shoved the muzzle right into someone's face—if he still missed, that would be alien tech at work.
He turned to the Arch-Mage, holding out the hand cannon. The old wizard blinked, utterly dumbfounded.
"Sir, this is…?"
"Consider it my gift to you."
What he handed over was a Guardian weapon: a hand cannon named Midnight Coup. Its design was striking—white barrel, golden magazine, and black grip, radiating a sacred aura.
"Ah… thank you, most sincerely…"
The Arch-Mage quickly accepted the gift, bewildered. Without another word, Duanmu Huai turned and left. Under the stares of the other mages, he reboarded the Night Raven Blackstar, lifted into the sky, and departed.
As for how they dealt with that idiot Elf's corpse—that wasn't his problem.
[Uwaa, Knight, you're too stingy! You only gave them a hand cannon?]
Almost at once, Ann's voice rang in his mind. The College mages didn't know what it was, but Ann certainly did—she had fought alongside him against the Cabal. She knew Guardian weapons well. To her, handing over a gun like that in exchange for the Eye of Magnus was like trading an apple for a castle.
"For them, studying that is just right."
Duanmu Huai wasn't lying. It was like a cheap Wuling Hongguang van—common on every street and not expensive—but the technology behind its materials, chassis, and control systems was deep.
If the College could analyze the weapon's design and principle, it could raise the continent's combat power by a notch.
Just a notch.
His real base was in Manaria, and he wouldn't strengthen potential rivals.
And Manaria's scientific progress was already assured. During his hidden class advancement quest, Ann had raided a human planet's library, bringing back a nearly complete collection of STEM works. These books now filled Manaria's Grand Library, studied jointly by the Holy City's and Manaria's scholars.
That was the right way to advance civilization—lay foundations first, prepare materials and groundwork, then build high. Manaria's path was like training a qualified construction crew before letting them build.
The College, though, was like being shown a skyscraper and told to copy it.
How much they gleaned was up to them.
That was why Ann called him stingy. She already understood the hand cannon's principles. To her, it was no harder than 1+1=2. With enough materials, she could cobble one together by magic herself. But for the College's mages, just grasping the structure would take ages.
"Where are we going next, Knight?"
Cradling Bambi, Guleya asked. Duanmu Huai thought for a moment.
"Well… nothing urgent, so we—"
"BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!!!"
Before he finished, urgent alarms blared. Instinctively, he yanked the controls, forcing the Night Raven Blackstar into a sudden roll. A massive fireball screamed past, barely missing them, and exploded behind.
"BOOM!!!"
A blinding flash lit the sky like a second sun. The shockwave tossed the airship as if it were a toy boat in a storm.
"Kyaaaa!!!"
Guleya and Bambi shrieked as the craft bucked. Duanmu Huai gripped the controls, eyes narrowed—because ahead, a colossal black dragon was beating its wings, blocking their path.
"How amusing…"
A deep voice resounded in their minds. Clearly, it was the dragon speaking.
"Petty mortals, soaring with such toys? Amusing indeed. But the sky belongs to dragons!"
"Not if I say otherwise!"
Duanmu Huai wasn't about to argue. The Blackstar's weapons roared to life—guns and missiles streaked toward the beast.
"Hmph!!"
The dragon sneered, wings snapping as it spun away. But the missiles locked on relentlessly. As it twisted, the missiles curved midair, slamming into its body.
"BOOM!!!"
Smoke billowed thickly. Then, with a rush of wind, the dragon burst out, unscathed.
"Such attacks are meaningless to me… Diiil Kooo Rah Dah!"
The black wyrm roared. Air itself solidified, slamming at the Blackstar. Sirens blared as the hull warped under the pressure.
"Damn! We're out!!"
Duanmu Huai cursed, flung open the hatch, and leapt out with Guleya and Bambi.
"BOOM!!!"
Behind them, the Blackstar exploded in a fireball.
"My ship!!!"
His eyes went red. Jetpack igniting, warhammer ready, he glared at the dragon. Guleya and Bambi spread their wings to hover nearby.
"You wretched lizard—you're dead!!"
"Arrogant mortals. The sky is not yours."
The dragon lifted its head proudly.
"You are worms, meant to crawl upon the earth and gaze up at us. Remember my name—I am Alduin, firstborn of Akatosh! I shall devour your souls! Your end is here!!"
"Alduin…?"
At the name, Duanmu Huai and Guleya froze, then exchanged strange looks.
They had been searching for Alduin, without success. And now—the boss delivered itself?
Tsk tsk tsk. If only every boss was this considerate…
"Attack!!"
Without hesitation, Duanmu Huai charged, hammer raised.
"Your struggle is futile, mortal! FUS—RO—"
As Alduin prepared a dragon shout, Duanmu Huai accelerated. He had already realized dragon shouts worked like word-magic: utter the word, trigger the effect. The countermeasure? Simple. Don't let them speak.
What are you gonna do, ventriloquism?
Just as Alduin opened its jaws, Duanmu Huai hurled his thunder hammer. It streaked with lightning, slamming into the dragon's throat and jamming there.
"Fus… ro… Hggghhh—"
The shout cut into a strangled croak.
Imagine trying to yell with a giant steel carrot shoved down your windpipe.
"RAAAAAAAHH!!"
Furious, Alduin belched fire, trying to melt the hammer. But it was no ordinary weapon—it held firm.
"Guleya, pin it down! Bambi, block its fire—blind it!"
Duanmu Huai drew his chainsword, barking orders.
"Yes, Knight!"
"Got it, Thrall!!"
Guleya's right arm morphed into a dragon's claw. She darted in and punched the dragon's head. Meanwhile, Bambi raised her arms—swarms of bats poured from the air, flooding toward Alduin's mouth.
For Alduin, it was hell—choked by a burning steel carrot, now flooded by bats wriggling down its throat.
What a taste… electrified carrots with mosquito garnish.
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
Alduin's flames incinerated the bats, but the cover let Duanmu Huai close in, chainsword revving.
Foolish mortal! Alduin sensed him, but scorned it. He was Akatosh's firstborn, the World-Eater. No mortal blade could touch him—only the Dragonborn ever posed a threat.
Even mighty heroes of ages past had failed to harm him, forced to banish him with the Elder Scroll. But—
Wait.
Alduin's eyes snapped to Bambi.
Or rather, to the Elder Scroll strapped to her back.
Not again! Damn it, once was enough! Do these mortals think I'll fall for the same trap twice?!
Rage flared. He would not be banished again. But in that instant of distraction, Duanmu Huai vaulted onto his back. Alduin ignored him—why care for a mortal who could not hurt him? The Scroll was the true threat—
And then pain.
Flesh torn. Bone split. Blood spraying.
A searing agony he had almost forgotten ripped through his flank.
"GROAAAAHHHHH!!!"
With a scream, the great black dragon lost balance and plummeted from the sky.
(End of Chapter)