The scene continues to be chaotic and here it will be worse with a flying catastrophe is currently flying on the top of the city.
"Before the dragon strikes, I need to—"
I nearly hit by a barrage of crystal from the sky that descends swiftly and instantly crushed the area on the moment of impact. Each of the crystal is larger to be compared to person size. A direct hit will surely kill. I tried to search for anyone that's nearby before I see Prince Richard are floating on the air. How does he do that? Is that a skill?
"Damn that's cool!" I blurted.
It's not time to be impressed!!! Prince Richard stated.
"Lilith, I need you to find out how to unleash Ristorea power, I will deal with that dragon somehow!" Prince Richard gave an order to Lilith.
"But—" Lilith hesitated,
"There is no time! It's an S-class!! Only we can do it!" Prince Richard tried to convince her.
An… S-class? I try to clarify it myself by scanning it.
--- [GRAND DRAGON] ---
Name: Crysdraga
Species: Dragon
Class: S-class
Special Ability: Barrage of Crystal, Crystal Impact
Weak point: -Unknown-
Weakness: -Unknown-
Description: A mighty dragon with scales of crystals. Lives in a faraway forest outside of Azaria. Able to fires and restores the crystals on its body instantly. Powerful and deadly.
----------------------------------
It's true! While I am looking at the information of the dragon, in a sudden a flash of dazzling light come from above. As I turned my eyes to the source of the light, I am being bewildered by the elegant display of immense power of the sacred blade, Dominia. The source of light came from a powerful beam unleashed by Prince Richard through The Everlasting Sword, Dominia. After being hit by the beam, the scream of Crysdraga reverberated in the sky as its body are getting a great amount of damage from the attack. But when the move just seems to be effective against it, in an instant it restored itself.
"That can't be…" I am even amazed by its immediate regenerating power.
Despite that, Prince Richard keeps pushing Crysdraga with the same moves without hesitation. Their fight is intense. Prince Richard flying around the dragon swiftly while hitting it directly with the sword, but it does not seem to work so well. I am sure the sacred blade is strong but from judging from the move, it's nearly the best Prince Richard can do. Furthermore, the S-class is out of our league. Out of the blue, a woman approaches the prince.
"My apologies for the late Prince Richard. I am Lisa Russell, Military Dragon Slayer Division Vice Leader, you can leave this to us now."
About 50 people with flying gorgeous magical wings come to handle the dragon. Plain black suit under that magical-imbued shining silver full body armour with a dragon-designed helmet, they are most probably the dragon slayer, and they are all professional judging by their glowing badge on the suit. The badges colour symbolises the ability of a slayer, a red one for professional slayer, a blue one for experienced slayer and yellow for amateur slayer. All of them wear red badges. That's logical, it is an S-class level monster after but still to appear in a middle of the city is unfathomable. The devastation could be worse than I can ever imagine.
"No! I have to be here to protect the citizen!" The prince insisted.
"But prince, you are yet to fully release the potential that Dominia actually holds!"
"Then I will prove it here and now!"
"But… alright. As your highness wish but allow us to assist you!" Lisa backed down.
"That's assuring! Let's go!"
They charge to Crysdraga together. Countless kind of skill were used during the battle that enlightened the night-time along with blasting sounds from the damage on the dragon. The intense battle continues until almost everyone in the arena have been led out of the arena. Suddenly, a dazzling bright light once again shines upon the night. Prince Richard is holding his sword upwards ready to swing it to Crysdraga.
"What a crazy amount of magical energy…" I said while looking in amazed to the magical energy amassed by Prince Richard.
The energy shines so bright that in one second, when the energy is most likely at its maximum potential, the night is bright as daytime.
"Take this, RADIANCE STRIKE!!"
Then the prince swings the sword down, unleashing an immensely powerful beam against the Crysdraga, pushing it down to the arena. Fortunately, I am almost outside of the arena. The stage is blown to pieces with a booming sound at the moment Crysdraga crashed to the ground. The impact from the fall is massive. The surrounding area until the seats of the audience are ruptured from below.
Crysdraga is injured quite badly but not enough to killed it. The pair of crystal wings behind its back is totally pulverised for good. But the drawback from the fall had cause for some students inside the arena that are fighting with the gargoyles wounded from the impact. I go inside back to secure them.
"I should just let the professional handle the dragon," I reminding myself.
While I'm trying to help the one of the injured, Crysdraga awaken from the fall then give an ear-piercing roar. I forced to close my both ears from the loud roar. The ceiling of the arena started to collapse just from the vibration force of its voice. I've got to get this girl out before the ceiling crushes both of us.
"Come on, come on!!" I groaned as I pull the injured girl from under a heavy steel beam from the early collapse.
While I am trying my hardest to pull the girl, I am too unaware that Crysdraga is turning to my location. It shoves its head, nearing to me. I am terrified for a second that I couldn't even lift a finger. I have never seen a dragon this close in my life.
In front of my eyes, I can clearly see a pair of ivory eyes sit well within the creature's angular, scaled skull, with a savage looking appearance. Several small horns sit atop of its head, just above its wide, warped ears with rows of horns runs down the sides of each of its jaw lines. When it lifts its head, a view of its thick neck runs down from its head and into it large body that have uncountable number of crystallite pillar that act as its scales are wondrous to me. The crystals it produced are not just as any crystal that can be find anywhere. I assure they are the best of grade even among all crystals we got in Azaria. I thought it wants to go away from me it's not. Crysdraga opened its mouth, displaying rows of its tremendously sharp teeth.
"Shit!!!"
I struggle as I pull the girl when I see Crysdraga may actually finish me off with those sharp teeths. Maybe, it's better for me to save myself. If I stay here, both of us dies!
I tried to get up and leave her but—
"Evans!!!"
Lilith calls me. As I turned behind me, a huge monster is standing behind me holding off the dragon.
"A TITAN?"
That titan is half the size of Crysdraga but strong enough to hold the dragon from firing it's deadly-looking ball of magical energy in its mouth.
"Don't worry, it's on our side, I summoned him!" Lilith explained.
I am kind of shocked there but my thought come back and realise there is no time to waste. I continue on saving the girl and successfully bring her away from the dragon. Then, the titan and Crysdraga start fighting each other so fiercely but it wasn't long. Crysdraga fired its magical energy inside its mouth directly which converts to barrage of crystals to the face of the titan. The titan falls to the ground without its head and its body slowly disperses in some kind of light particles to the surrounding.
"Was that your power Lilith?" Prince Richard asked to Lilith right after he descended to the arena.
"Yes. But I can just summon it once with Ristorea, I have tried to summon another or summon it again, but it just doesn't seem to work!" Lilith answered.
"I see, well me too. I tried to produce the same 'Radiance Strike' I unleashed from Dominia, but nothing goes out. But we need to keep trying."
"Prince Richard, didn't the group 'Supreme Blade of Azaria' is from here?" One of the dragon slayers asks.
"I got the word that they are all scattered outside of Azaria with missions, it could take days for them to come here."
"I see, but we have also called for backup, about 100 dragon slayers will come from the military base."
"Good, I just hope they are early enough before this dragon runs on bigger rampage."
Normally, an S-class dragon can easily destroy a town in a rampage but since we have a lot of professional slayers here, the damages can be kept to bare minimum. Moreover, this area quite a dense population area compared to the others. But let's leave the chatting for now, Crysdraga is starting to rampage already.
"Dragon Slayers! Surround it, we'll use Dragon Disintegration Spell!" Lisa commanded to her team.
They surround Crysdraga and start activating spell by raising one of their hands to the air, producing immense scintillating light-blue magic circle above of Crysdraga.
"DRAGON DISINTEGRATION!" Lisa activates the skill.
[Dragon Disintegration(S-rank): Produce a magic circle above target and release a powerful beam of light upon the target. This skill is potent enough to kill an S-class monster.]
The magic circle blast of a beam of strong blue light, almost as immense as the 'Radiance Strike' produce by Prince Richard. The force from the beam pushes Crysdraga to the ground.
"That's dragon disintegration, a replica spell to mimic the actual power similar to Radiance Strike of Dominia."
"Eh!" I was a little bit surprised by the sudden voice from beside me.
"You don't have to be so surprised Evans."
"Ah, Sir Atlas… you scared me…"
"I just come back from shopping and got some news from other trainer that an S-class dragon appeared," He replied casually.
"I see… wait no!! It's not the time to chill—"
"That won't work on Crysdraga," He guessed.
"What do you mean?"
"Crysdraga is an S-class but—"
In a sudden, the ground shaking so much causing the arena to slowly crumbles. Crysdraga is struggling against the skill, and it looks like its crystals start to enlarge.
"Evans, have you ever heard of Metamorphosis?"
"Yes, that's the original skill for synthesis skill used in the sacred blade."
"True, but actually that name 'metamorphosis' is taken from the ability of a monster to evolve to a further stronger version. Same goes when the heroes used the metamorphosis skill to make them stronger. Crysdraga here is S-class but, it's actually nearing to be an SS-class, there are possibilities for it to evolve, anytime or perhaps now."
Exactly as said by Sir Atlas, Crysdraga enlarge about a double from its normal size, instantly cancels the effect of Dragon Disintegration that has been cast upon it.
"What?!" Lisa shocks.
"We need to escape from here Sir!" I grab Sir Atlas hand.
We both run until we reached the exit of the arena.
"Sir, I will try to look for other people that might be trapped inside, make sure you go to somewhere safe alright! Take my sabre for protection!" I advised to Sir Atlas while throwing my sabre to him for protection just in case.
"Evans wait—"
I moved before Sir Atlas finished his words. It's okay I still have my bow to fight, for now I need to prioritise the lives that are perhaps in critical conjunction inside the crumbling arena before it takes turn for the worst. Well, it already is. As I am inside, the dragon slayers and the prince are trying to hold the dragon with all skill they had.
"WHERE ARE YOU! WE NEED TO KILL IT NOW BEFORE IT COMPLETELY TURN TO AN SS-CLASS!" Lisa screamed to her communication device in quite enraged state.
This is perhaps the best moment to kill it before it actually become stronger and out of controlled. The whole city can possibly turn to total ruination if that happen. The dragon continues rampaging in the arena, unleashing barrages of crystal that totally break the inner structure of the arena.
"Run! Quick! I am okay, don't worry!"
That is Elea's voice. I see her telling a girl to run away while her leg is actually trapped under the extremely heavy materials from the arena's structure. I run as quickly as possible to her.
"It's okay, I will help her!" I tell the girl to not worry.
The girl nodded with tears and run away from to the exit.
"That's… the last one…" Elea mutters in a weakened state.
"Elea, hold on! I will lift this thing!"
As I tried to lift the metal, nothing is actually moving. The metals are awfully heavy for me.
"Evans, don't bother, I… can't feel it…"
"Don't worry I will… what, what did you say?"
"My leg… I can't feel it…" She answered why crying. Her face looks like about to collapse.
"You need to go before—"
"NO! NEVER!!"
I tried to lift the metals again.
"ACTIVATE ENHANCED STRENGTH!!"
I tried again. And again. And again. But it is futile.
"DAMN ITT!!! ANYONE!! HELP!!!!!"
My eyes started getting wet. Ugh don't cry right now!
Everyone is so busy holding off the dragon to hear my screaming. Unexpectedly, when I turned to find anyone, the eyes of Crysdraga catches my presence. It is gathering a massive magical energy inside its mouth which later forming into one, gigantic crystal.
"I… won't let you."
"Evans... run…it's okay… leave me here…" Elea is so weakened that I barely hear her voice.
"Hey, you told me before, about you want to have the sacred blade for dignity as the first-born child of the emperor. But I know deep in your heart, you love the citizens more that you think. You want to protect them, that's why you want to be stronger. I am nothing like you. I am selfish. All I want is to save myself, and people I choose. I ready to sacrifice someone, as long as it is not me, or my beloved people. Even a while ago, I was about to leave a girl to be killed."
"Evans…"
"This time, I won't, I know I can't be like you, but if it's you, if a person like you who sacrifice themselves for the sake of others, I won't run. Not anymore."
I take my bow and pull the string.
"I know, my arrow won't do enough, but-!"
My hand is shaking. I tried to get as calm as possible. As I tried very hard to deepen my concentration and determination, the arrow got larger and intense by second, until it is shining with brilliant red, the most intense I have produced so far, I released the string. The arrow goes to the piece of crystal directly with great speed and precision. The sound of blast appeared as the arrow hits the target. I lowered my bow, try to steady my breath.
"EVANS!! MOVE FROM THERE!!!"
I heard Quinn's voice, but I didn't turn to him as I realise my arrow didn't affect the dragon a bit. Then the dragon fired it's huge, deadly crystal to my direction.
I'm going to die for sure.
That is what I thought at the time.
In an instant, the surrounding turn to a brilliant flash of white, with a sound shattered glass. I close my eyes as the light is so bright, it's blinding. Later, I slowly open my eyelids, trying to distinguish the situation.
"I survived?"
It can't be. I take a direct hit from the powerful attack from the S-class dragon and still standing here. And…
"What is this sword?" I asked myself.
From nowhere, a red blade suddenly rested in my grip. It feels a little bit weird. I don't know the sword, but I did feel like I've already mastered it for eternity. My body feels so light, and my senses are getting unbelievably sharp from usual as if I can read the surrounding completely.
The blade is discharging a dim dark red colour light with a slightly, just slightly aura of atrocity, maybe I am the only one who able to sense it.
"E-Evans…?"
Elea who is still trapped under the rubbles are looking at me with her teary eyes, after almost died by a massive crystal edge directed to both me and her from the dragon. She looked very scared, and her body is trembling. I go to her, kneeling to the ground, matching our eyes on the same level.
"Evans… I-I'm so…sorry… I almost get you killed… twice..."
Then she continues to cry.
"You!"
A voice calling someone and probably me. I respond to the voice that come from behind me and it is Prince Richard. He looked at the sword I hold in my grip with peculiar expression as if trying to guess what I'm actually holding.
"Where do you get that?"
Did he really asked me that in the middle of the battle with the dragon and gargoyles all going rampaging in the arena, really? I stand up and reply to his question.
"I don't know, it just suddenly appears in my hand and…"
His expression suddenly changes and start raising his voice.
"DON'T LIE TO ME! WHERE DO YOU GET THAT WEAPON!?"
Suddenly it ticks me off when he asks me with such voice. So, I replied in equal manners by taking a first deep breath.
"Okay…well… IF I KNOW I WOULD ALREADY TOLD YOU, IDIOT!"
He is surprised at first then gritted his teeth and start calming down after a while.
"I'm sorry. I was panicked."
Yeah, I know, everyone is panicked too.
"It's okay I understand. You look like you know this. Tell me what this is?"
He takes a deep breath before replying to me.
"It's maybe hard to believe, but most probably that is the long-lost legendary sword. The third sacred blade."
"Eh…It can't be…"
I replied in a shocked intonation. I take a precise look at the sword.
"Impossible…"
Prince Richard nodded.
"Yes. It is the long-lost sacred blade, The Eternal Sabre, Atroxia."