A dragon.
As in a game or a novel, a warlock is using the body of a dead dragon.
A dead dragon has lower combat power than a live one, and since it doesn’t have its own intelligence, it would be easier to deal with.
[Then, you can catch it.]
It’s easier than a dragon, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy to catch.
Han Ji-joon and Kim Dae-sung approached him.
“This dragon is decent. The level is 330, the detection range is 100m,” Kim Dae-sung relayed the information about the monster.
It was one of his skills. [Search]. It is a rare-ranked ability that can find out a monster’s information in a glance.
It’s a low-grade but valuable skill.
“What are you going to do?” Han Ji-joon asked Jin-woo.
“Well…”
He was troubled. He came here expecting a treasure chest.
Instead, they found a dragon and a warlock.
Jin-woo consulted the swordsman through his thoughts.
I think I can catch it if I use it.
Both his mana and stamina were full. He’ll be able to use the Red Moon Method.
[If you use it here, we will be buried alive.]
Yes?
[You’re a stupid student. Start by understanding the battlefield before initiating battle. You’re thinking about using an explosive skill inside a cave!]
The swordsman was right. The place they were in was structured like a cave. It was possible that they are underground right now, considering the direction they walked through.
The Red Moon Method will surely blast this place and bury everyone underground.
“It will be better if we come back later…” Jin-woo decided and told the team.
However, a wormhole suddenly opened near them, and a figure in a black robe walked out of it.
Everyone, including Jin-woo, raised their weapons.
The warlock raised his hand.
“Long-term visitors…” he said in a sullen voice. “I can’t afford that.”
Blah!
Black energy poured out of the warlock’s raised hand, filling the air with a crackling sound.
Jin-woo thought it was an attack and leaped towards the warlock, swinging his sword in an instant.
Wooosh!
The warlock was split in half!
However…
His body dissolved into smoke and scattered in the air.
[A greeting.]
What?
“Ji..Jin-woo?”
He turned after hearing Yu-ra’s trembling voice.
Did she get enchanted? What was that spell?
“Time out… reduced.”
“Yes?”
“Check the dungeon information.”
Jin-woo opened the notification window to understand.
[Dungeon name: Dragon’s Canyon]
[Appropriate level: 200~250]
[Timeout: 02:00]
It was a dungeon with about six months left.
How could it have 2 hours remaining?
“He reduced the time out?” Jin-woo exclaimed. He couldn’t believe it. He has never heard of such ability.
Han Ji-joon raised his long sword and shield. “Well, we can’t come back anymore.”
He looked like a typical knight.
Kim Dae-sung wore a gauntlet in both fists and flexed his fingers.
Lastly, Han Yu-ra pulled out a staff.
Is she a wizard? Jin-woo didn’t know.
Each one held their positions.
However, Jin-woo had a different idea.
Master, you said to think about the battlefield before going to battle, right?
[Yes.]
He turned to Yu-ra. “Can you do teleport magic?”
“I don’t have that skill, no, but I have a scroll.”
“Do we have enough space here to activate it?”
“Yes.”
Jin-woo nodded and went to the edge of the cliff.
Looking down, he saw the warlock standing on the dragon’s skull and looking up back at him.
“Yu-ra, what’s your strongest skill available?”
“I have Earthquake.”
A hero-level skill that can be used to attack or build defense walls using the earth around them.
It was perfect for the terrain they were in now.
“Use it towards that warlock.”
“What? Then the ground will collapse, and we will get buried.”
“We will teleport out.”
Han Ji-joon and Kim Dae-sung nodded.
“It’s a good idea.”
“If we can avoid it, we don’t have to fight.”
Avoid? Jin-woo thought. He had no intention to do so.
But before anyone could say anything, the dragon started to move.
“Oh, it’s going to fly up now,” Jin-woo warned.
“Okay.” Yu-ra nodded, then approached the cliff. She pointed at the ground with her staff.
Woooo-oh!
A huge magical circle appeared at her feet. Shortly after, it began to emit blue light.
“Earthquake!” she yelled, activating her spell.
Kurrung!
The light gathered at the end of her staff, then the ground subsequently cracked.
“Come here right away!” she yelled, and the group ran close to her.
Instantly after she tore the scroll, the four people were covered in light.
When the light disappeared, the four people were gone, just before the cave collapsed.
* * *
Woo-oh!
The four people appeared a few meters from the dungeon entrance.
From it, they watched the ground sink as the cave below collapsed.
Jin-woo’s teammates celebrated.
“It was a very good operation!”
“You used the soft ground to bury them, that was creative.”
Jin-woo shook his head. They didn’t understand.
“I buried him underground to lure him out.”
Everyone looked at him as if what he said was ridiculous.
“Huh?”
“How can it come out if it’s dead? It’s impossible to survive that situation.”
“I’ll be happy if it’s dead.”
[Get ready.]
It seemed that it would not happen.
Kurrung!
A huge, roaring dragon burst out of the ground!
It soared up in the air. Although only bones remained on it, it flapped its huge wings and looked spectacular.
“Well…”
“It won’t be easy.”
Kim Dae-sung and Han Ji-eun stared at the dragon with a nervous face.
Han Yu-ra looked at Jin-woo. “If it was your goal to pull it out, you have a plan, right?” she probed.
“Of course.”
A monster whose size was enough to put it under the giant specie-category, while also being a flight-type monster.
Against flight-type monsters, it was better to finish it off inside the cave.
However, there was a reason why Jin-woo preferred to lure it out.
Here, I can use my full power and catch it, he thought.
He cut a Giant Snake at level 60.
He is now at level 270.
It is not impossible to catch a level 330 dragon.
“I will cut him with my legendary skill. The problem is that I may miss my aim because he is flying.”
Han Ji-joon stepped forward with his shield. “Then, I must drop him.”
“I will set it up.” Han Yu-ra’s staff glowed blue. “But where is Kim Dae-sung?”
He was gone. Han Ji-joon spun. “He was right behind me…”
“There.” Jin-woo saw him.
He was running from a distance of about 300m behind them.
“Where is he going?”
He was running at an amazing speed, more than world-class sprinters.
He was approaching them. They felt his incoming force.
Whoo-!
And then, as if choreographed, Han Ji-joon raised his shield over his head.
Boosh!
Kim Dae-sung stepped on the shield and leaped upwards!
“Bash!” he yelled as he soared in the air.
A Bash is a physical attack skill.
Where is he going?
Incredibly, Dae-sung’s momentum brought him to the dragon’s altitude.
The warlock on the dragon’s skull saw him and stretched out his wand.
“How is he going to avoid it?” Jin-woo worried.
“He won’t,” Yu-ra answered as she raised her own staff.
“Dark Lightning!” the warlock yelled.
A black lightning bolt flew towards Dae-sung.
“Shield!”
Right then, Yu-ra stretched her staff and protected him.
Bang!
A magical shield appeared in front of Kim Dae-sung and blocked the lightning bolt.
Meanwhile, Kim Dae-sung charged his skill.
“Dragon… Kick!”
A dragon-like shadow appeared on Kim Dae-sung’s right foot, and it wrapped itself in his legs.
Kwajik!
It slammed against the dragon’s skull!
It was enough to shake the dragon’s whole body, but not enough to make it fall to the ground.
However…
“Kick! Kick! Kick! Kick!”
Kwajik! Kwajik! Kwajik! Kwajik!
If it doesn’t work once, do it several times, Jin-woo thought and smiled at Dae-sung, beating the dragon’s skull.
Kuung!
The dragon screamed and crashed to the ground.
The ground shook at the impact.
As Dae-sung was kicking the dragon, Yu-ra was charging another spell.
When the dragon crashed, Yu-ra yelled.
“Dae-sung, get out of there!”
Dae-sung aptly jumped to the side after landing.
Then, she released it.
“Chain Lightning!”
Keeyeop!
Her staff shot lightning bolts that wrapped the dragon’s upper body.
The lightning acted as a chain that held the dragon down.
[It’s your turn.]
Yes.
Jin-woo gripped the sword with both hands.
“Dokgogu.”
[Skill: Dokgogu Sword is activated.]
[The attack power of the sword increases.]
[Continuously consumes mana.]
The sword was bathed in a golden light.
“Hoo…”
I concentrated my mind and moved the inner air within me.
Woo-oh!
The golden sword turned red.
[Skill: Cheonma Shingong is activated.]
[Skill: The Red Moon Method is activated.]
[The effect of the Cheonma Shingong increases the attack power of the Red Moon Sword.]
Preparation is over.
Then, unexpectedly, the warlock shouted.
“Cancel!”
Pop!
Instantly, the chain lightning exploded and dissolved away.
“Ouch!”
Han Yu-ra stepped back as if she got shocked. Fortunately, it didn’t appear to be serious.
The problem is the dragon.
It roared angrily.
“You dare play with us? Blow them up!” the warlock yelled.
The dragon opened its mouth.
Black smoke rose, and mighty dark energy gathered in its throat.
“I will stop it…” Jin-woo said as he walked forward.
“Jin-woo?” Yu-ra worriedly called out to him.
However, he looked determined.
Dragon’s Breath.
One of the most destructive skills.
Although it was not a normal, living dragon, a skeleton dragon is still a dragon.
The strength of its attack cannot be taken for granted.
But I don’t think I will lose.
[Why?]
I can’t tell, but my instinct says so.
[Well, if you say your instinct told you that… trust it. You have to follow your instincts.]
Jin-woo raised his sword overhead.
The warlock screamed at him. “You’re crazy! Die!”
The dragon released a powerful burst of black flame.
The flame killed everything it touched.
Not only creatures or plants, but even the air it touched turned black, the color of death.
[Now!]
Jin-woo swung his sword.
The warlock’s eyes were wide open in disbelief.
The flame, the dragon’s skull, the warlock…
Everything was swallowed up by a mighty red flash.