Ashen Dragon - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Chapter 64 Awakening (IV)

The guardian inscription had completed its rune explosion, but Bennett noticed a chain-triggered rune in the rocky corner. It was the Alert Technique.

“It’s the Alert Technique!”

“Damn, this is supposed to be a giant dragon’s lair, why does it feel like a Mage Tower filled with spells everywhere.”

“Could it have predicted we would hide here?”

“That’s impossible.”

Bennett’s face darkened at the thought.

His breathing grew suddenly rapid, and his heart pounded because he thought of a terrible possibility–

This was a Law-Addicted Dragon.

Moreover, it had probably foreseen their presence here and made all the preparations in advance, like any meticulous mage would.

This was no place of renown and wealth; it was a death trap crafted by an Evil Dragon Mage!

And they were merely the prey walking into the Trap!

In the distance, thunder boomed, mirroring Bennett’s feelings at that moment.

“Retreat…”

“Retreat now, everyone.”

“The Red Dragon is coming!”

Bennett shouted, waving his Magic Wand. He had no desire to die in this wilderness, becoming food for a monster.

However, he found that his teammates stood frozen, staring at the sky, making him anxious.

“What are you standing there for? Move!”

Ivan looked up at the sky, his voice shaking.

“I think…”

“It’s… It’s already here.”

Bennett felt a massive shadow envelop him, and cold sweat dripped down his face.

He stiffly turned his head around.

“My God…”

It was a Red Dragon of enormous size, fifteen meters long, a behemoth comparable to an adult Red Dragon.

Its body was covered in golden-red scales, with energy shards floating around its body like thousands of microscopic star fragments, and beyond those shards, blinding lightning swirled.

Behind it, rolling dark clouds and a fierce hurricane followed, as the Red Dragon, surrounded in dazzling light, slowly flapped its wings, as if it were the master of the storm.

“Damn Northerners…

“Your intelligence…”

“You call this a… young dragon?”

Bennett wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, muttering to himself.

He recognized the spells in the air–an Eighth Tier Weather Control spell, for his mentor had shown him before, something he couldn’t cast himself.

The Red Dragon in the sky wore a mocking expression.

“Humans, how dare you…

“enter my territory!”

The voice rumbled like thunder, causing everyone’s ears to ring.

Then, the Red Dragon dived down, opening its jaws slowly, and a dazzling light gathered at its throat.

“Not good!”

“It’s Dragon Breath! Prepare yourselves!”

The team snapped out of their daze and quickly readied for battle.

Experienced adventurers indeed, although stunned by the grand spectacle, they quickly recovered and entered combat mode.

Paladin Tristan raised his Dragon Scale Shield and moved to the forefront, releasing the shield’s spell, Anti-Dragon Aura, which enveloped them in a faint light.

“Force Wall Technique!”

Bennett chanted, and a massive invisible barrier appeared before them, ready to withstand the incoming Breath, a solid defensive spell.

Vincent silently took down the black longbow from his back and drew a Dragon Slayer Arrow from his cloak, nocking it to the string.

Ivan gripped his long sword tightly, his muscles tensed, his fingers caressing the emerald green scales on the blade, muttering prayers.

“Boom!”

White-hot flames spewed from the Red Dragon’s mouth, the terrifying heat warping the air–it was Flame Breath.

The blazing fire roared towards the group, currently held back by the combined Force Wall Technique and Anti-Dragon Aura barriers.

This seemed to be just a probe.

But sweat broke out on Bennett’s forehead again; he felt his spell was close to failing.

“Such frightening flame…”

He thought silently.

Ivan shouted, “If this keeps up, we’ll be burnt to ashes. Attack! Follow me, attack!”

The seasoned warrior dodged the Flame Breath from the side, eyeing the ever-nearing Red Dragon, then leaped several meters high.

However, before he even touched the energy shards surrounding the dragon scale, he was struck by the encircling lightning, his whole body convulsing and numb.

Remnant of the Storm!

But it wasn’t over–the Red Dragon casually swatted him with a claw.

Immediately, the lightning around him flooded into the warrior’s body. A thick bolt of lightning struck down from the dark clouds, hitting him directly. Ivan’s entire body glowed nearly transparent, his bones clearly visible.

He turned into a charred mass and fell to the ground.

Ivan died just like that, but he bought precious time for his teammates to attack.

“Whiz–”

Vincent released the bowstring, sending the black Dragon Slayer Arrow straight toward the Red Dragon’s heart.

This arrow was inscribed with spells to harm dragonkin, soaked in Dragon Blood, explicitly made for slaying dragons.

Braving the Fiery Pits!

With the last bit of energy leaving its mouth, the Red Dragon’s massive body turned into a raging inferno.

The black arrow shot through the flames, falling feebly in the distance with no apparent effect on the Red Dragon.

“Where is it…”

Vincent muttered darkly, for all he saw before him was roaring fire.

Even the keen instincts of a thief couldn’t locate the enemy.

“Alert!”

“Damn it, what is that?”

In the next moment, the flames before the adventurers transformed rapidly, coalescing and forming into a colossal dragon shape.

A thunderous roar echoed from within the flames.

“How dare you defy me!”

The Red Dragon surged forward from within the flames!

Its lightning-wrapped massive body smashed through the invisible Force Wall, making Bennett tremble.

The warriors of the adventure group shot arrow after arrow at the Red Dragon, but the energy shards circling it deflected them effortlessly.

Dark clouds blanketed the land, thunder roared down from the sky, striking the panicked adventurers with precision.

“Scatter, scatter!”

Paladin Tristan quickly raised the Dragon Scale Shield, protecting himself while shouting.

The teammates behind him scattered in all directions.

Yet, the Red Dragon gathered its breath briefly and spewed several short flames straight at their retreating teammate, the Wanderer Vincent.

“Bang!”

The frail Wanderer collapsed, his charred body blending with his black cloak, clearly lifeless.

Then, a thick bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking the Paladin’s head directly. His Dragon Scale Shield could block dragon damage but not the thunder.

“Ahhh–!”

Tristan let out a cry of pain.

The sky, filled with dark clouds, flashing with lightning, stormed; the ground, chaotic with the mix of flames and thunder. The Red Dragon rampaged within the group, easily destroying the adventure team.

Bennett, witnessing this despairing scene, shakily raised his Magic Wand, mustering all his strength for the spell he had long prepared.

“Monster Immobilization Spell!”

A red spell radiance flew out.

This was originally their trump card for dragon slaying, but now it had become their key to survival.

To his shock, a dimly flickering barrier surrounded the Red Dragon. The Magic Web around them smoothed out forcefully, disabling any spell casting.

“Spell Nullification Barrier…”

Bennett felt profound despair, more certain than ever of his suspicion.

This was a damn Law-Addicted Dragon!