FWOOSH!
"Senseless Skin!"
"I canst see thee! How long wilt thou run like a craven?!"
FWOOSH!
"Light Ball!"
"Ghh...!"
"Earth Cannon!"
BOOM!
BOOM!
"THOU INSOLENT MORTAL!"
"Shit!"
Even now, my [Temporary Boost] is still active and my stats are still infinite, and I've tried everything.
Senseless Skin should've turned me invisible and silent as I run, but the dragon saw right through it, like maybe it could notice me from my mama. That blinding Light Ball and the follow-up with Earth Cannon also pissed it off instead. I can't even get close because any attack just makes that creature angrier, and every time I try to defend or counter, it mocks me like I'm a fly batting at a mountain.
Back then when I fought Salacia, I got furious because she went too far with the girls. But for now, I'm not losing my temper. Because my goal remains the same... I want to make this dragon understand that I mean what I say. However, no matter what I do, it still won't listen.
FWOOSH!
"Water Wall!"
Another inferno erupts from her maw, roaring straight for me, and I can manage to protect myself with a towering shield of water just in time.
"Hoh… what trick be this? Art thou already bereft of options?"
I breathe hard.
"No. Water Cannon!"
A high-pressure surge blasts straight for her jaw. It hits, but she dives through it like it's nothing.
"Dost thou not yet see? Every strike thou sendeth is futile. I am the invincible dragon of Nomah!"
Calm down, Motegi.
Calm down.
This dragon keeps repeating that invincible title over and over. And the way it fights and the way it talks, it's either out of rage or pride. It's always boasting, and it's always showing off.
Then, a dangerous tactic idea forms in my mind.
One that plays straight into this dragon's hands. One that might get me crushed, but if I can push it just far enough... maybe I can force an opening.
With that, I laugh, boldly and defiantly.
"Hah… hahaha! Hahahaha...! You really are something else. I've never fought anything this powerful before. I guess 'Invincible Dragon' really suits you. You earned that title, seriously."
Its gaze sharpens, her massive form still looming and watching me.
"But if you're really that strong, then why the hell are you holed up in this cave? Oh! Let me guess... too scared to go outside? Or do you need these snakes to protect you?"
Again, I try to bait it further.
"And the gold, relics, and jewels you mentioned... meh. You attacked me just for asking about a single egg, and you didn't even give me the chance to explain. So tell me, do you even have any treasure? Or are you just some broke, oversized lizard?"
And that's enough to send this dragon to its boiling point.
"THOU DARE…! INSOLENT WRETCH! THOU SHALT DIE FOR THY TONGUE! I SHALL REDUCE THEE TO CINDERS, BURN THY FLESH TO ASH, AND CAST THY BONES TO THE WIND!"
FWOOSH!
It doesn't wait, and it just breathes wider and hotter than before.
"Water Wall!"
My spell comes into place just as her flames crash down. But there's no pause because it dives straight through the steam, which I have to dodge.
Yes, it's working exactly like I hoped.
Every insult drags this dragon deeper into rage. Its attacks are wild now, and this whole fight is favoring it. And yet, that's what I need. I just have to keep this fight going.
I start running in wide circles, casting as I go.
"Fire Ball! Fire Ball! Fire Ball!"
Balls of flame explode as they clash with her breath.
"RUN, THEN, FOOLISH MORTAL! RUN TO THY DEATH! THOU DARE TO WIELD FLAME AGAINST ME?! FIRE IS MINE BLOOD, MINE BIRTHRIGHT!"
When smoke thickens around us from the repeated clashes, it's time for the next step.
"Dome!"
A shimmering barrier seals the dragon.
"Wind Storm!"
A violent gust erupts inside the barrier, spinning the thick smoke into a furious cyclone. The dragon roars as the smoke blocks its vision.
"THOU... INSOLENT... PEST!"
The Dome spell doesn't just shield from outside interference, but it also can trap everything inside. And now, time for the finishing.
"Earth Spikes!"
Stone lances explode upward from the floor, slamming into its legs, gut, and chest and locking it in place.
"GHHAAAHHH!!"
"Earth Boulder!"
A massive slab of rock forms high above, and I immediately cancel both Dome and Wind Storm, letting the boulder crash from above before the dragon can react.
BOOM!
The cave shakes as it slams into the dragon's back, flattening it to the floor. It writhes and then stills as a low, ragged voice escapes its throat.
"I… canst not believe it. I... the Invincible Dragon of Nomah… brought low… by a mere human…"
Then, I turn to Yomogi, Chantal, Kimberly, Pinna, and Salacia... and they're all frozen and silent like they still don't believe what they've just seen. As I walk toward them, Yomogi is the first to break the silence.
"Motegi-chan… are you… okay?"
"I'm good. Thanks for worrying about me."
"Thank goodness..."
Chantal just stares at the scene, then at me, then back again.
"You… you actually defeated a dragon. The invincible one. What the hell, Motegi-kun…"
Kimberly's mouth opens slightly.
"This is… unbelievable… Motegi-sama..."
Pinna scans the battlefield.
"Target status: immobile. Muscle tension and vitals indicate extreme fatigue. Conclusion: the dragon is incapable of further combat."
"Thanks for your information, Pinna."
Salacia is still wide-eyed, and her lips part as I turn to her.
"Salacia, can you give me potions?"
She blinks rapidly, snapping out of her daze as she immediately hands me a small vial.
"Y-Yes, darling! Here, restorative..."
"Thank you."
I uncork it and drink it in one go, and I let out a long breath.
"Haahh… that's better. Thank you."
"You're welcome, darling..."
"Can you give me more? Restorative and healing."
And she hesitates for a moment.
"For what?"
"Just give it to me."
"Y-Yes... here you go, darling..."
"Thank you."
Without another word, she hands over more bottles. I take them all and use [Copier] to multiply them as much as I can. Then, I turn around and rush back to the fallen dragon, crouching low near its jaw.
"Open your mouth. These are potions made by the kraken herself."
A low, ragged voice rumbles from deep within its throat.
"Why… wouldst thou heal me…?"
"Didn't I tell you already? I just wanted to talk."
The dragon pauses. Then, slowly, its jaw creaks open. I uncap bottle after bottle and carefully pour the potions into its mouth one after another until all the bottles are empty.
Then, the dragon begins to move and lifts its
massive form from the stones, its eyes settling on me as its voice becomes
softer.
"Thou hast my thanks. For thine
healing… and thine mercy. I shall listen…
to thy purpose."
And I bow politely at the dragon.
"Thank you, that's all I wanted."
With that, I'm finally able to explain my purpose for coming here: none other than for just a pilus follis egg, and I'm not here to steal its hoard, disrespect its territory, or covet anything shiny it owns.
But after I state my intention, the dragon suddenly scoffs.
"HMPH! Thou truly art a most lamentable fool. A fool beyond measure. Why dost thou hazard thine own life to trespass within my sanctum for so paltry a prize? And speak now, mortal... why meaneth this egg so gravely unto thee?"
And I laugh awkwardly.
"Ah, hahaha... well, the ogres outside told me pilus follis lay their eggs here, so... yeah, that's why I came all the way inside."
I pause, then continue to answer its second question.
"And as for why it's so important… I don't really know, honestly. Maybe it's selfish, or it's just curiosity. I want something small and fuzzy I can cuddle, and that's it."
Another scoff and snarl come from that dragon.
"HMPH! I detest thee. Not only didst thou strike me down… not only didst thou heal me… yet now thou clingest to thy foolish whim! And thou refused my reward... a reward from me, a queen!"
Yup, here we go again…
This dragon's ego is enormous. I've been hearing those "invincible" and "undefeated dragon of Nomah" words multiple times, and now it calls itself a "queen."
Then, the dragon suddenly bursts into uproarious laughter.
"MWAHAHAHAHAHA!! VERY WELL, MORTAL, VERY WELL! Thou hast stirred my amusement most deeply! I shall lead thee unto mine horde! Mark this... within it lie three eggs of the pilus follis!"
"Seriously?!"
And the dragon declares with smug satisfaction.
"Verily! For countless centuries hath the timid beast ventured to my dominion to lay its brood. Mayhap the creature possesseth the wisdom to know this den is the safest upon the face of the world! For none may pass my serpents alive! None may withstand me! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Oi, can you please stop bragging for one second?
"So… does that make you some kind of guardian for pilus follis?"
"Nay."
"Huh?"
"I hath told thee already. The pilus follis did but wander hither long ago and laid its eggs. Then returned. And returned again. So hath it been for ages uncounted. 'Tis but a trifling matter to me."
"I see..."
Then, the dragon's gaze shifts from me to the girls behind.
"Wolf. Panther. Elf. Automaton. Step forth."
And instantly, Yomogi, Chantal, Kimberly, and Pinna all jolt like they just got singled out by a murderous homeroom teacher.
"Y-Yes, dairyū-sama!" (TS: dairyū = great dragon)
And with that, the four of them scramble forward into me. After that, the dragon turns its head toward Salacia.
"Kraken. Thou, too. Come hither."
Salacia flinches.
"Y-Yes…"
But the dragon reassures her.
"There is naught to fear, child. We are alike, thou and I. Our lifespans... likely matched across the ages."
"I'm not afraid of you. I just… don't believe you know me. I spent most of my life in the depths alone."
"Mayhap, yet such is the way of apex beasts. Though we reign at the peaks of our domains, our paths oft cross not. 'Tis no slight nor shame. Merely... differing natures."
"I understand."
She steps forward and joins the others. And then, the dragon lifts its long body and coils upward, towering again above us all. Then it peers down at the six of us, gaze sharp but calm.
"Brace thyselves. For anon shall come a tremor most rude. A quake, light yet sudden."
I frown.
"Wait, what do you mean by 'quake'?"
"Watch..."
Then suddenly, the ground beneath us gives out, and all of us stumble as the girls are all shocked and cling onto me.
Yomogi gasps and grabs my arm.
"Ehhh?!! W-What's happening?!"
Kimberly latches onto my other side, panicking but wondering.
"Th-The ground… it's… collapsing…!"
Salacia's arms are locked around me, her voice trembling.
"Darling…!"
"Calm down! It's okay, calm down. I've got you!"
I look up toward the dragon, still hovering above us.
"Oi, what the hell is going on?! What's happening?!"
"The hour hath come! Lift thine gaze, and see with thine own eyes, mortal!"
As the descent continues, the walls around us begin to split, and streams of gold pour from the broken walls, followed by jeweled goblets, glinting rings, and rivers of glittering gems. It cascades from every crevice in shimmering waterfalls, pooling into mountains around us.
Even in the middle of freefall, the girls are stunned.
Pinna's eyes track every falling object.
"This… this phenomenon defies geological structure…"
Chantal's eyes go wide.
"How is this… even real?"
The descent finally stops with a soft, vibrating thud. And we're left standing in the center of an overwhelming sea of gold, surrounded on all sides by mounds of treasure that stretch beyond sight.
I exhale and look around.
"What… is this…?"
Above us, the dragon laughs again.
"MWAHAHAHAHAHA!! BEHOLD MINE HORDE! THE TREASURES OF AGES LONG PASSED — RICHES WROUGHT FROM WISDOM AND WILL! Tell me, mortal: Doth it stir thy soul? Doth it not dazzle thine eye?"
And the dragon coils down, grinning at me.
It grins, fangs glinting.
"Say again… seekest thou only the egg? Or shall thou not claim even a single gem for thy trouble?"
I'm still stunned, but I find my voice.
"I appreciate the offer. I mean, all of this... is unbelievable. But again, I only came here for one egg. That's all. Thank you again, but I don't need anything else."
The dragon clicks its tongue in sharp annoyance, then turns to gesture toward one of the tallest hills of treasure with three smooth, elliptical shapes at its peak.
"TCH! So be it, stubborn fool. There... yonder atop the golden crest, lie the vessels thou seekest. Pilus follis eggs, all three. Choose one, and begone."
I bow deeply to the dragon.
"Thank you."
"HMPH! Whatever thou wilt."
With that, I step toward the spot where the dragon pointed. I reach out and lift one carefully with both hands. The weight settles into my palms, warm and comforting.
"It's beautiful..."
The egg itself is huge, likely about the size of an ostrich egg. The shell has an aquamarine color, dotted with speckles like a quail egg and faint glitters on those spots, sparkling like tiny stars.
Behind me, I can hear the girls' voices of quiet awe, so I turn around to see what they do.
Yomogi kneels near a pile of rings, gently picking up a gold trinket.
"It's… beautiful…"
Salacia turns in a slow circle.
"This horde is enough to fill two pirate ships… maybe more..."
Pinna crouches beside a chest and scans its contents.
"Analysis: these artifacts contain ninety-seven percent pure gold. Remaining composition includes platinum, high-grade rubies, sapphires, and emeralds."
The dragon booms overhead.
"MWAHAHA!! Did I not proclaim it so? Mine horde be unparalleled!"
Chantal excitedly snatches up a golden-handled dagger.
"Dagger!"
Then, she pulls one of her own from her belt. She twirls both of them and gives a few playful swings at the same time.
"Hmm… mine's still lighter. But this one's way shinier. Umm… do I pick it or not…?"
Not far from her, Kimberly lifts a necklace of deep emerald beads.
"Is it…?"
The dragon lowers its long neck toward her.
"Thou hast a discerning gaze, elf. That piece be wrought from the most precious emerald ever unearthed."
Actually, part of me wants to remind them again why we came here. But as I look at the egg in my arms, I remember again that it's only something I wanted purely for myself. So, if they want their own treasures, who am I to tell them no?
"Motegi-kun..."
"Motegi-sama…"
Chantal and Kimberly call out to me with the golden dagger and the necklace in their hands... and I know what they mean.
"Hey, can they take those?"
The dragon's whiskers twitch as it lets out a long, dramatic sigh.
"Very well. Let them claim those trinkets."
"Thank you."
Then, the dragon growls smugly.
"HMPH! So at last, one doth covet mine precious horde…"
"No. I still only need this egg. But I can't refuse what they want."
"TCH! Thou fool."
Once our business here is done, I give the dragon another respectful bow.
"Thank you again… for everything. We'll be taking our leave now."
The girls gather near me, but just as I turn my back...
"Wait."
"Whoa!"
I stop mid-step and glance back, only to be surprised by the dragon's massive leonine face stopping right in front of mine, its eyes staring intensely at me.
"Dost thou truly believe, thou can walk away so easily? After shaming a queen before mine own horde… and laying claim to that which was mine? Such gall… demands recompense."
And then, its next words come.
"Thou hast stirred something within me, mortal. And now, thou shalt bear the weight of it. I am coming with thee... like it or not."
"Eh?"