Chương 69: Ember Drake

Ch 69 - Ember Drake

"A drake?" Evan asked.

"You mean an Ember Drake?" Reika nodded.

"Yes. We spotted one roaming nearby. Judging by its size, it only recently left its juvenile stage, so it should make a suitable target."

"Can't your team handle it on your own?" Evan asked.

"And how would we even split the spoils?"

"Strictly speaking, we can," Reika replied, "but I figured it would be safer with another team. As for the spoils, we'll divide them based on who dealt the most damage. There's no rule prohibiting us from cooperating. If the instructors have a problem with it, I'm sure they'll say something." Evan considered the offer. It wasn't a bad proposal. Hunting an Ember Drake had never been part of his plan for the final exam, but with Reika's group joining them, it suddenly seemed like a viable option.

She wasn't an S-rank, but he had firsthand experience with how terrifying and powerful her lightning could be. Together, they stood a good chance of bringing the monster down. They might not receive the full score for defeating it alone, but the drake would still be worth a significant number of points. More importantly, Evan's attention shifted to Hiroto, who had been watching his sister throughout the conversation. This could be the perfect opportunity to repair their relationship.

Reika had already surprised him by suggesting an alliance, and unlike their trip to the Wildlands, there were no cameramen following them around. She had no audience to perform for. Maybe Hiroto being confirmed as an S-rank was the reason she wanted to see if he'd changed.

"We're agreeing to this, right?" Ji-ho asked. Evan gave him an exasperated look. This kid really had far too much to prove. What was so exciting about fighting dangerous monsters? Every time Evan encountered one, he either ended up with broken bones or nearly got choked to death by its furious owner.

"Fine," Evan said.

"We accept. Where do we meet?"

"Tomorrow at eight o'clock," Reika replied.

"My group will come to your camp, and we'll head there together."

"Alright. See you tomorrow then." With the agreement reached, Reika turned around and once again disappeared into the trees. A sudden smell of burning caught Evan's attention.

"Crap!" He whirled around and hurried over to the campfire, snatching the rabbit meat away from the flames. Unfortunately, parts of it had already charred. They could scrape off the burnt bits, but the rabbit had already been quite lean to begin with. Evan silently cursed Reika and mentally added another mark to her name in his ever-growing Book of Vengeance. Despite the sorry state of their dinner, they finished every last bite and called it a night. When morning arrived, they packed up and prepared for the hunt.

Right on schedule, Reika's team appeared. Alongside her were two familiar faces: Emma and Andrei. The moment Ji-ho spotted them, his face lit up, and he bounded over to greet them. It seemed the three cannon fodder had been reunited. The trio huddled together, speaking in hushed tones before all three shot Evan a dirty look. He met their hostility with a smile. Evan wasn't particularly worried. After what happened last time, he doubted they would be foolish enough to try bullying him again.

"The Ember Drake we're hunting is near the monoliths," Reika said.

"The monoliths?" Evan raised an eyebrow.

"You mean the entrance to Floor 71's Secret Dungeon?"

"Yeah. What else would it be?" Reika replied. Now he really regretted not asking about the location until after agreeing to the alliance. Evan had no desire to go anywhere near those stone pillars. With his cursed luck, there was always a chance something would go wrong and he'd somehow end up getting dragged into another dungeon. But with Reika's team already here, he could only swallow his frustration and anxiety. Reika took the lead, guiding them toward the monoliths.

Along the way, they finalized their plan to lure the Ember Drake into an ambush, with Hiroto playing a key role. Knowing his abilities were central to the strategy, the boy could barely hide the excitement in his eyes. They reached a broad stretch of land scattered with boulders and rough stone outcroppings. Rather than approach the monoliths directly, Reika veered into the forest along the field's edge. They found a small herd of stags grazing among the trees. Reika disappeared in a flash of lightning.

A heartbeat later, she reappeared on the other side of the herd, her naginata already lowered. Only then did crimson lines bloom across the animals' bodies, and the stags crumpled one after another. Ji-ho and Andrei dragged the bleeding carcasses through the forest, deliberately leaving behind a heavy trail of blood that led toward the territory of a nearby Redfang Hound pack. Once the bait was in place, they climbed into the surrounding trees and waited.

Barely a minute passed before movement stirred within the forest. Drawn by the fresh scent of blood, the Redfang Hounds emerged from the undergrowth and rushed toward the pile of carcasses. Saliva dripped from their jaws as they threw themselves onto the feast, tearing into the fresh meat.

"Now!" Reika shouted. A portal opened high above the pack. Swords and spears shot through it, plunging into the earth in a wide circle around the feeding hounds. The instant the last weapon struck stone, Reika thrust her naginata forward. Lightning leapt from the blade, jumping from one metal pillar to the next until a cage of electricity enclosed the entire pack. The Redfang Hounds howled in alarm. Several tried to leap through the barrier, only to be knocked back by bolts that sent them tumbling away.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Andrei fired his petrification projectiles, striking the hounds squarely. The effect spread from one trapped monster to the next, rapidly encasing their bodies in rock. Within moments, every Redfang Hound had been turned to stone. Reika dismissed the lightning barrier. They hurried down and began collecting the immobilized Redfang Hounds.

The effect wasn't complete, and some of the monsters could still growl and snap their jaws, but they were trapped enough for the group to drag them toward the rockeries where the Ember Drake had been spotted. As they drew closer, the hounds that could still move their heads began yelping and whining frantically. They twisted and struggled, as though sheer determination could pull the rest of their bodies free. Evan spared them a pitying glance.

The damn mutts were smart enough to realize they were being led to their deaths. The Ember Drake loved feasting on Redfang Hounds, and these creatures normally fled the moment they caught even the faintest scent of the drake. Unfortunately for them, they were about to serve as the perfect bait. Once they reached the chosen location, they placed the distressed hounds in the middle of the clearing and retreated to their assigned positions atop the surrounding boulders.

Heavy footsteps thudded across the stone-strewn terrain, each impact vibrating through the earth. A moment later, their target emerged from behind one of the stone formations. The Ember Drake was a great four-legged beast covered in dark crimson scales, with armored plates shielding its neck and a thick tail sweeping behind it. A long horn jutted from its snout. Its yellow eyes fixed on the Redfang Hounds as it inhaled their scent, a deep growl rumbling in its throat.

Stopping beside the hounds, the Ember Drake lowered its head and sniffed its prey. It seized one of the petrified monsters, crunched through meat and stone alike, then swallowed the remains. Reika snapped her hand downward, and Hiroto opened another portal. A boulder they had prepared earlier came crashing through, but the drake spotted the falling stone and dodged at the last second. Hiroto quickly dropped another, then a third. The final chunk of stone struck the drake on the back.

At the same time, Andrei activated his ability, striking one of the monster's legs and turning it to stone. With the drake temporarily immobilized, they rushed in with weapons raised. Reika fired a bolt of lightning at the beast just as it spat a stream of burning embers. The attacks collided in a shower of sparks. Meanwhile, Evan pulled out an ice crystal and spread a sheet of frost beneath its feet, causing its legs to slip and the drake to crash onto the stone.

They attacked from all sides, but even after channeling mana into their weapons, their strikes left little more than shallow wounds across its thick hide. The drake roared as flames covered its body, forcing them to retreat. Reika countered with a concentrated bolt of lightning that slammed into its chest, staggering the drake. True to its formidable nature, it regained its footing almost at once. The petrification on its leg had already begun to fade.

Within moments, the remaining stone cracked and crumbled away as the beast shook its limb free. The plates along its neck shifted, and the horn on its snout began to emit a faint light. It charged a moment later. Wrapped in flames, the Ember Drake became a living projectile, hurtling straight toward them. They scattered as it tore through the spot they had occupied. Evan retaliated by pulling out a crystal and releasing a gust of wind at the beast.

The attack drew its attention, and it immediately turned toward him and charged again. At the last possible moment, Evan jumped into a portal Hiroto opened beneath him. The Ember Drake barreled through and slammed into a boulder instead. The beast raised its head and bellowed, then swept a wave of flames across the battlefield. The others scrambled onto nearby boulders as flames swept across the field. Reika vaulted onto the drake's back and drove her naginata through a gap in its armored hide.

Electricity ripped through the wound. The drake shrieked and bucked, trying to throw her off. Flames suddenly burst from its body, forcing Reika to leap away. The fire faded to a weak flicker, leaving the creature swaying on its feet. Seeing their opening, the others surged forward, striking at the Ember Drake's exposed underbelly and leg joints. Evan jumped into the Pocket Refuge as Hiroto opened an exit portal above the drake's neck.

He dropped through, activated another ice crystal, and slammed his palm against the drake's scorched back. A burst of frost spread from the point of impact, rapidly coating its scales in ice. The freezing effect crept down its torso and locked its limbs in place, further restricting its movement. The Ember Drake thrashed and weakly tried to dislodge him. Evan didn't resist. He leapt away just as Reika struck, driving a bolt of lightning into its snout.

The impact snapped the drake's head backward and sent it staggering sideways. It lost its footing and crashed into a nearby rock formation.

"Nice! We did it!" Emma shouted, raising her fist into the air. Yet as if challenging her words, the Ember Drake raised its head once more. The gaps between its neck plates lit up. A torrent of burning embers and flames burst from its throat. They dove aside as the attack ripped across the field and slammed into the nearby monolith. [The Curse of ■■■■■■ stirs.] Uh-oh.

"Run!" Evan shouted.

"Run? From what? That drake is dying," Ji-ho said, rushing toward their target and driving his spear into its exposed underside. The others ignored Evan's warning as well and continued attacking the weakened monster. Evan grabbed Hiroto's arm.

"We have to go."

"Is there a danger?" Hiroto asked, glancing between Evan and the rest of their group.

"But Reika… Reika! We need to leave!"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Reika asked with an annoyed frown. She thrust her naginata into the drake's eye, electricity ripping through its skull.

"I don't sense any other monsters nearby. If you're talking about the remaining Redfang Hounds, we'll deal with them soon enough."

"Shit," Evan cursed. His attention shifted to the monolith. Glyphs carved into its surface were lighting up one by one. Should he run? He could escape on his own. If he moved now, there was still a chance he could avoid getting dragged into whatever was about to happen. But the others wouldn't make it. Hiroto would never leave without Reika, and there was no way he could abandon them.

"Goddamn it, System…" A deep hum echoed through the battlefield. Vwooom! The glyphs covering the monolith flared. In the distance, Evan spotted streaks of light moving across the other monoliths. Then, a wave of energy spread from the center of the field, shaking the earth beneath them. That finally caught everyone's attention. They stopped attacking the drake and turned toward the disturbance. The monoliths that had lain dormant now came to life, their symbols beating in unison.

"Crap," Andrei muttered.

"Run!" Emma shouted. This time, everyone listened. They turned and sprinted away from the monoliths. Evan, however, didn't bother moving. What was the point? The System clearly intended to drag him into this mess, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Fighting against it now would only waste time. The air warped as an immense force pulled them toward a portal forming at the center of the field. Within seconds, the last of them disappeared into the swirling vortex.