[Vol. 8] Chapter 196: Dragon and Wind
In the next moment, the dragon girl gave her answer. Not with words, but with action.
“A bunch of filthy trash monsters want to eat me? Aren’t you afraid your stomachs will explode?”
Her cold and calm voice echoed through the valley. It wasn’t loud, but somehow it instantly drowned out the countless harsh, screeching cries of the black creatures. As she raised her hand and casually clawed downward, her fingers formed a dragon’s talon.
“Sky—shatter.”
In an instant, a golden claw shadow transformed into a massive dragon’s claw that filled the sky like a falling mountain. As it slammed down, the sharp and overwhelming force sliced through the air like an invisible blade. The twisted, roaring black monsters below stood no chance. They were torn to shreds instantly. Not a single one could resist, under such absolute and crushing power, they were completely wiped out.
That godlike claw, which had torn through both space and magic, didn’t stop. It plunged straight into the deep pit at the center of the Chaos Magic Valley, which was already about a hundred meters wide, and forced it even wider, leaving behind a massive dragon claw mark that covered nearly one-third of the pit. The strike broke through the ground into the depths below, triggering even stronger earthquakes and thunderous rumbling.
BOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!
With just one claw strike. The black tide of monsters that had burst from underground like a volcanic eruption, the same ones that the Hero’s Party believed no single person could possibly stop, were all wiped out in one breath.
The leftover shockwaves shook the entire land violently, but what trembled more than the earth… was the hearts of everyone watching.
What kind of power was that?!
Of course, they had always known that Violet, as an instructor to heroes, was stronger than all of them. But they thought it was just a matter of her being older, having seen more, and gained more experience. It made sense that one day, with hard work, they could reach or even surpass her level and take up the torch.
Even after seeing Violet crush that fire serpent so easily, they didn’t doubt this belief.
But…
What they just saw…
That earth-shattering, mountain-splitting power…
Could that really belong to a mortal?
Even a god probably wouldn’t be any stronger. And yet they knew Miss Xiao Guang wasn’t a god.
Which meant, the truth was that their perspective had been far too limited.
After spending so many days together, they’d guessed that this quiet, serious dragon girl, Violet’s closest companion and a legendary-ranked adventurer in her own right, wasn’t someone normal.
But only now did they truly understand what that meant.
That single strike, which shattered the land, hadn’t even used any magic. It was pure physical power. And even high-level spells likely couldn’t match that level of destructive force.
Violet, as a priestess, was certainly strong.
But the one who held overwhelming strength that could crush nearly anything. Was the quiet, cold dragon girl standing beside her.
A true dragon.
A fully grown giant dragon.
Possibly even a legendary Dragon King.
As everyone stood frozen in shock, the trembling earth gradually began to settle. After that strike, the enormous pit below had gone completely silent. No more darkness bubbled out. Nothing moved in the shadows.
A long moment passed.
Finally, Chloe, nervous and unsure, whispered quietly.
“Umm… is it over?”
She hadn’t directed the question at anyone in particular, but everyone knew. There was only one person here who could answer it.
The priestess, who had calmly stood with her hands behind her back the entire time, simply shook her head.
Her voice was flat, calm, almost casual.
“How could it be possible? If it were only this strong, that person would have already defeated it with a single sword strike. There’s no way they’d still be stuck underground fighting it all this time.”
“That person…?”
Kunnir noticed the hidden meaning in Violet’s words and frowned slightly.
“You mean, there’s still someone alive underground in this Chaos Magic Valley? And that person is quite powerful?”
“Of course~ Otherwise, how do you think that guy got out just now? And who do you think left behind the sword aura barrier outside the valley? All those monsters we saw earlier were just the leftover shockwaves from their battle breaking through the surface. They weren’t even the real threat. The real enemy hasn’t shown up yet.”
She pointed slightly with her mouth, motioning toward the unconscious young scholar who had been pulled from the black water by Xiao Guang. Seeing everyone’s surprised faces, the priestess didn’t explain much more. She simply stood in place and continued watching quietly.
Facts speak louder than words.
On the other side, the dragon goddess who had just slammed down her claw and crushed the black tide monsters was also paying close attention. Her senses were no weaker than Violet’s, and she could clearly feel what was happening below. Even though her master hadn’t given specific instructions on how to deal with this situation, after all the training she’d gone through, the dragon girl already had her own ideas and plans.
The claw strike she had just sent underground wasn’t only about brute force. In a way, it was done on purpose.
“Zhing!!”
Suddenly, an incredibly sharp sword aura shot up from deep below the earth like a flash of lightning, slicing through the air with extreme speed!
Even Violet, watching from afar, raised her eyebrows slightly at the intensity and sharpness of it. But the sword aura wasn’t aimed at the dragon goddess floating in the air above the crater. It flew off to the side instead. Wherever it passed, even the corrupted magical energy in the valley was instantly shattered. Taking advantage of the perfect opening it created, a figure shot up from the darkness right behind it!
“That was an amazing move! So powerful and dominant, just seeing it taught me so much. After three hundred years, the elegance of the dragon race is still just as impressive!”
The voice belonged to a young man in a cloak. He held an enormous greatsword that was almost wider than his body. His face was plain, but his eyes sparkled like stars. Strong winds seemed to swirl around his body, lifting him into the air as if he were floating like a sage or a celestial being.
Right after emerging from underground, he quickly scanned the area, and his eyes stopped on the dragon girl floating silently in the air with wings spread. He placed his hands over the sword and gave a respectful nod.
“Thank you for your help, noble envoy. The crystal dragons have long been known for their unmatched strength. A full-grown one can split mountains with its claws and cut rivers with its wings. Now that I’ve seen it with my own eyes, it’s truly amazing. You’ve already reached the level of a Dragon King. Since you’ve appeared here, does it mean… that that place has returned to the world?”
Xiao Guang glanced at the swordsman with no expression. She didn’t answer his hopeful question.
“Stop talking nonsense. If you can fight, then fight. If not, stand aside. I’m not going to save you again.”
The swordsman was momentarily stunned, but then he nodded seriously.
“You’re right. Tartanos is about to break free. I may be just a human, but I, Bevis Bernard, will do my best to help you… and destroy the traitor of the dragon race.”