Each of the Nine-Headed Dragon's breaths earlier carried the power of Saint-Level magic, nearly reaching King-Level strength.
Such powerful dragon breaths must come with a huge drain on magical energy.
However, Wood had just noticed that despite the multiple breaths it unleashed, the Nine-Headed Dragon's magical energy hadn't diminished in the slightest.
There were two likely explanations for this. The first possibility was that the Nine-Headed Dragon had an absolutely terrifying magical reservoir, and the energy needed for the dragon breath was merely a drop in the bucket.
The second possibility was that the Nine-Headed Dragon's recovery rate for magical energy was incredibly high, allowing it to quickly regenerate after every use.
Or perhaps the truth was a combination of both.
Up to this point, the individual with the largest magical reservoir that Wood had encountered was Rudeus Greyrat. However, even Rudeus couldn't cast multiple Saint-Level spells consecutively without any noticeable depletion.
Wood suspected that the Nine-Headed Dragon's ability to do this had much to do with the large magic crystal located behind it.
Combining his observations and analysis from the earlier battle, Wood quickly summed up the Nine-Headed Dragon's characteristics.
Its offense was immense, its endurance incredible, its health overwhelming, and its magical resistance was equally formidable. The only potential weak spot was its lower resistance to physical attacks.
Even then, physical wounds could be quickly healed thanks to its regeneration abilities.
Typically, such powerful regenerative abilities would require a significant amount of magical energy, but since the Nine-Headed Dragon was connected to the magic crystal, which seemingly powered the entire labyrinth, it never had to worry about running out of energy.
An unbeatable regeneration ability, endless magical energy, and devastating dragon breaths—there was a reason this moving labyrinth had earned the name "Unconquerable Labyrinth."
To defeat such a Nine-Headed Dragon, one would either need overwhelming power to sever all nine of its heads at once or rely on sheer numbers to eventually wear it down.
Unfortunately, Wood and his group didn't have the means for either of these methods.
After healing their wounds and restoring their magical energy, Wood and his companions didn't rush back to challenge the Nine-Headed Dragon again. Instead, they resumed their journey of hunting monsters.
This period of adventure had shaken loose the long-stagnant bottleneck in Zenith's abilities.
Perhaps due to the high magical density within the moving labyrinth or Wood's expert guidance, after a week of effort, Zenith finally broke through the barriers of being an Advanced-Level mage, ascending to the rank of Saint-Level magic user.
Naturally, her specialty continued to be in healing magic.
Zenith hailed from the Holy Milis Kingdom, a theocratic nation where most magic users excelled in healing arts.
Those who could use Saint-Level healing magic were highly respected in Milis, with only bishops in the church being able to reach such a level.
Apart from Zenith's progress, Norn and Aisha had also grown considerably during this time, and the Demon Wolf King's size had increased noticeably after devouring large quantities of monsters.
Half a month passed, and since no other adventurers appeared in the labyrinth, Wood and his companions decided it was time to launch their second assault on the Nine-Headed Dragon.
Compared to their first attempt, their overall strength had improved significantly.
They had managed to escape safely the first time, so there was no reason why this attempt would be any more dangerous.
Upon re-entering the room, they were greeted once again by the overwhelming presence of the Nine-Headed Dragon, standing majestically in the center of the chamber.
As Wood and his companions entered, the dragon, which had seemed to be resting, stirred awake, as if sensing their presence.
"Norn, Aisha, you two should stay near the exit. If things get dangerous, don't hesitate—run immediately, understand?"
Despite their progress, Norn and Aisha were still too inexperienced for this level of battle. The gap between them and the challenge they were facing was simply too vast.
And unlike their initial test of the dragon's abilities, this time Wood and his team were committed to launching a full assault. It wouldn't just be Wood fighting alone.
Both the Demon Wolf King and Zenith would actively assist in the fight.
This meant that the only ones left to protect Norn and Aisha were the Demon Wolf King's red-furred wolf underlings.
As long as the two sisters didn't engage directly in the fight, the Nine-Headed Dragon's attacks were unlikely to reach their position. Additionally, Norn and Aisha had grown stronger over the past weeks, so they had developed some ability to protect themselves.
After entering the room, Wood took up the primary role of attacking and drawing the dragon's attention.
Zenith, on the other hand, quickly mounted the Demon Wolf King.
Even as a Saint-Level magic user, physical ability remained a weakness for most mages.
But riding atop the Demon Wolf King gave Zenith much-needed mobility, ensuring she could keep up with the battle to heal Wood as necessary, while also allowing the Demon Wolf King to attack without hesitation.
"Roar—!"
The Nine-Headed Dragon let out a powerful roar, demonstrating its authority as the strongest guardian of the labyrinth.
Four of its nine heads raised up, gathering magical energy in preparation to unleash its devastating breath attacks.
As soon as Wood and his team stepped into its range, it unleashed the dragon breaths without delay.
Of the four breaths, three were aimed at Wood, while only one targeted Zenith and the Demon Wolf King.
The Nine-Headed Dragon wasn't stupid. On the contrary, it was highly intelligent, and it remembered these intruders from their last encounter.
Among them, Wood was the only one who had managed to injure it during their previous fight.
As for Zenith, although she was a mage, the dragon had no reason to fear magic users. Its high resistance to magic meant that even if it stood still and let Zenith attack, it wouldn't be harmed.
The Demon Wolf King, while a rare and intelligent beast, still wasn't strong enough to pose a threat. The Nine-Headed Dragon didn't regard it as a serious opponent.
The only true threat was the young swordsman, Wood, who had not only strong swordsmanship but also the ability to resist its dragon breath.
No one knew the Nine-Headed Dragon's weaknesses better than the dragon itself. Wood had already shown he had the potential to defeat it. To avoid a humiliating defeat, the dragon knew it had to eliminate Wood first.
Once Wood was dealt with, the mage and the wolves would be easy prey.
*******
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 380+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a