Translator: AnubisTL
The twin moons cast their pale glow across the rocky terrain of Hemlock Hills.
Samantha, her tail held high and rear end raised, was completely absorbed in carving crooked grooves into the ground with her claws. She wasn't drawing alchemical arrays; she was toying with ants.
Watching the ants scurry helplessly, forced to follow the grooves she had carved, a smug smile spread across Samantha's face.
As a red dragon, she was born with an innate desire to control the lives and destinies of other creatures, to feel like a sovereign. Though her current strength didn't allow for grander displays of dominance, playing with ants was a satisfying substitute.
With a final swipe of her claw, she connected the ends of the grooves, trapping the poor ants in a maze-like enclosure with no exit.
Samantha lifted her chin, her gaze sweeping down with disdain, and mimicked the deep, resonant voice of an adult dragon. "Humble insects," she boomed, "cry out to the great Red Dragon Queen for mercy! Grovel before me, and perhaps I will deign to spare your insignificant lives."
The ants remained silent, continuing their frantic scurrying.
Among them, a particularly clever and strong ant, realizing there was no way out through the grooves, began to climb upward. It scaled the wall of the groove and unknowingly reached Samantha's claw.
The 'Red Dragon Queen' let out a soft, intrigued hiss.
"Legendary leader of the Abyssal Demon Ant Clan, the most powerful and wise of your kind, do you dare defy my decree and challenge the fate I have ordained for you?"
"Very well, I admire your courage. As you wish, I grant you—death!"
Splat!
The red young dragon slammed its claw down, crushing the Abyssal Demon Ant in a single blow.
Feeling slightly embarrassed by this childish game, Samantha only indulged in such play when no other creatures were around.
With Garos absent and the Earthstorm Bear Mobel out hunting, this was her exclusive playtime.
After another round of boisterous self-amusement, Samantha rose to her feet, head held high, still basking in the feeling of being the Red Dragon Queen, ruler of all things. She strode toward the alchemy workshop with a haughty gait, her limbs moving with regal indifference.
The workshop was a crude shelter built from stacked stone slabs.
Peering inside, she saw a metal cauldron bubbling with black oil, emitting eerie purple smoke.
"I got too carried away playing and forgot to watch the fire! Oh no! Garos is going to scold me when he gets back!"
Her proud posture collapsed instantly. Samantha darted to the cauldron, frantically channeling magical energy to inscribe alchemical runes. She hurled the runes into the boiling black oil, gradually calming it and preventing an explosion.
Samantha snorted sparks from her nostrils, exhaling in relief.
She lowered her head to sniff the bubbling black oil, completely unaware that five dark figures were watching her from the shadows.
The rogue hidden behind a boulder raised her crossbow.
The bolt, imbued with armor-piercing and silencing runes, was already nocked. Its arrowhead glowed with a blue, watery sheen in the night, clearly coated with potent poison.
Meanwhile, on the other side,
The blonde warrior strode through the shadows cast by the iron fir trees, approaching the red young dragon. He slowly drew his massive, door-sized greatsword from his back, pressed his palm down, and with a gentle sweep, signaled the start of the hunt.
In absolute silence,
The specially crafted alchemical bolt pierced the night, striking Samantha's right wing joint with pinpoint accuracy. The arrow trembled slightly, emitting a metallic hum.
The blue, watery glow immediately spread, covering a small patch of her wing membrane.
The sudden attack and the searing pain in her wing made Samantha's pupils narrow to slits. She whipped her tail wildly, knocking over the smoking alchemical cauldron. The boiling black oil splashed across the ground, releasing a pungent, acrid stench.
"Damn humans!"
Samantha roared, spotting her attackers.
The blonde warrior charged forward, leaping high into the air. The alchemical runes on his greatsword blazed with power, radiating a formidable aura.
Leaping Slash!
The heavy blade crashed down, but Samantha raised her dragon arm and swept it aside in a horizontal strike.
Weakness Spell!
The necromancer extended a pale finger, unleashing a dark beam that struck Samantha. The dragon instantly felt her body grow heavy, her strength draining away, and her movements becoming sluggish and feeble.
The sword sliced through Samantha's dragon scales, tearing into her flesh.
Whoosh! Another alchemical bolt pierced the air, embedding itself in Samantha's flank.
The blonde warrior spun around, his blood-stained greatsword slashing across Samantha's shoulder.
Caught completely off guard by the sudden ambush from the group of adventurers, Samantha found herself on the defensive. Enraged, molten light erupted from the gaps in the scales on her chest, and a blinding crimson glow flared in her maw.
She was about to unleash her flaming dragon breath, incinerating the warriors who dared to defy her into ash.
"Havin!" the blonde warrior shouted, sensing the imminent danger.
Silence Spell!
The spellcaster had prepared his incantation. Intricate runes materialized like shimmering silk, coalescing into a glowing ring around Samantha's neck. The silencing magic sealed her throat, preventing her from unleashing her dragon breath at the critical moment.
The silence spell on Samantha's neck began to crack.
Samantha roared silently, slashing at the blonde warrior with her claw. Though he blocked the blow with his sword, the sheer force sent him flying, shattering an iron fir tree.
As Samantha lunged to pursue, skull-like ghostfires hurtled toward her, slamming into her body.
These were no ordinary flames; their icy chill pierced her fire resistance, inflicting unavoidable damage.
Meanwhile, a white light radiated from the priest, bathing the blonde warrior in its glow.
He surged to his feet with renewed speed, charging toward the red young dragon in long, swift strides.
With Samantha's dragonic roar, the silence spell on her neck shattered completely. But before she could unleash her flaming dragon breath, the rogue tossed a spherical device that exploded with an intensely irritating odor. Samantha sneezed violently, flames erupting from her nostrils.
When she looked up again, the blonde warrior stood inches away, his greatsword arcing down toward her like a falling door.
Completely outmaneuvered, Samantha realized she was no match for these humans.
Thanks to Garos's training, Samantha had significantly improved in curbing her arrogance and self-confidence. Suppressing her urge to fight to the death, she flapped her wings and soared skyward, attempting to disengage.
But she had barely risen a few meters when a rogue hurled a massive net covered in hooks, ensnaring her body. The dense iron hooks snagged firmly into her scales, making escape nearly impossible.
The blonde warrior seized the net with one hand and yanked downward, sharply slowing Samantha's ascent.
The spellcaster completed another incantation.
An anti-flight spell! The materialized runes locked onto Samantha's wings, draining their magical energy.
Without magical support, a young dragon's wings alone couldn't support its heavy body. Samantha flapped frantically, but was ultimately dragged back to the ground.
She tore through the net, her face burning with rage.
If I can't escape, then I'll fight to the death! A red dragon fears no challenge, not even death itself! Samantha roared, resuming her struggle against the five warriors. Though at a disadvantage and sustaining constant injuries, she refused to yield.
Meanwhile, high above in the night sky, hidden within a thick, drifting cloud...
Garos silently observed the battle below.
"These adventurers seem rather weak," he thought. "Even Samantha can't take them down directly."
"But as I suspected, relying primarily on magical energy for flight is a major weakness, making them vulnerable to countermeasures."
Garos had returned just as the battle began. Seeing that Samantha wasn't in immediate danger, he refrained from intervening, choosing instead to observe quietly for a while. He quickly realized that these adventurers were far less formidable than he had imagined.
When facing adventurers in the future, I might not need to be so cautious.
With my current strength, I should be able to deal with them effortlessly.
Adventurers? Mere chickens and dogs!
Thinking this, Garos hastily shook his head.
"Arrogance always creeps in subtly," he reminded himself. "I must remain vigilant."
"These are likely just the lowest-tier adventurers, yet they're already capable of handling a normal young dragon like Samantha. And it seems they're trying to capture her alive, which explains their less aggressive tactics."
Garos mused.
Having confirmed that the adventurers posed no significant threat, he folded his dragon wings, their razor-sharp edges slicing through the night air as he plummeted downward at breakneck speed.
(End of the Chapter)