"Phase two! He's going to breathe fire!"
The moment the words left Lynn's mouth, the grafted dragon head snapped its jaws wide. A fan-shaped wave of dragon fire, hot enough to melt steel, erupted from its maw like a bursting dam. In an instant, the flames incinerated everything across half the hall.
"Run!"
Tione grabbed the dazed Lefiya and lunged with all her might behind a massive stone pillar. The searing heat-wave brushed past their backs, instantly charring and curling the edges of Lefiya's mage robes.
"Dammit! I'll break you!"
Tiona's battle-hungry instincts took over once again. Seeing that Godrick seemed unable to move while breathing fire, she took it as a golden opportunity. With a roar, she charged straight at him from the side.
However, she was only halfway there when the fire-spewing dragon head suddenly jerked. A scaled dragon claw lashed out with a vicious wind that seemed to tear the air itself, swiping down toward her head.
"Waaaaah!"
The Amazonian girl's scream rang out again as she was swatted away like a ball. she slammed hard against a distant wall and slid down, her head spinning so violently she couldn't stand up for a long moment.
"Tiona, don't charge him head-on! Get behind him!" Lynn's voice carried a hint of urgency.
As he shouted, he pulled several dark ceramic pots from his cloak and hurled them with force at Godrick's head.
Bang! Bang!
The pots shattered, drenching Godrick's face and head in a black, oily liquid.
"Tione, take Lefiya and find cover! Long-range support only!"
"Ais, with me!"
At Lynn's command, he shot forward like an arrow from a bow, actively engaging the rampaging monster.
Ais followed immediately without a second of hesitation.
With oil stinging his eyes, Godrick thrashed his head wildly. The dragon fire became erratic, spraying aimlessly in every direction.
Lynn's silhouette flickered through the gaps in the sea of fire. His footwork became ethereal and unpredictable, darting forward and slipping back, every step landing exactly at the limit of the dragon flame's reach. It was as if he were dancing on the edge of a blade.
Bloodhound's Step!
Following close behind him, Ais's golden eyes shone brighter than ever before.
She stopped thinking about how to attack. She stopped calculating damage. She surrendered everything to her instincts, mirroring Lynn's rhythm and mimicking his steps. On this stage of death, she danced alongside him.
Dodge, then close in.
Godrick's claw swiped through empty air.
Lynn's Bloodhound's Fang slid across the dragon claw's joint, trailing a shower of sparks.
Ais's rapier followed immediately after, piercing the exact same spot.
Retreat, create distance.
The dragon fire swept past.
Lynn and Ais rolled simultaneously, executing a perfect evasion.
Ais's heart pounded fiercely—not from fear, but from an unprecedented surge of excitement.
She realized that when she stopped obsessing over a "one-hit kill" and focused instead on "survive, then find the next opening," this seemingly insurmountable battle actually became... simple.
Every dodge was a preparation for the next strike.
Every strike was a setup for the next dodge.
Life and death, offense and defense—in this moment, they formed a perfect, closed loop. Her sword was no longer a mere weapon; it was an extension of her body, an embodiment of her will.
"So this is how it feels..." she whispered to herself, a faint smile touching her lips that even she didn't notice.
On the other side, Tione and Lefiya found their opening.
"O arrow of the absolute, pierce through!! [Fusillade Fallarica]!!"
Hiding behind the pillar, Lefiya seized the gap when Godrick turned his back. A bolt of light struck Godrick's spine with pinpoint accuracy. Although the damage wasn't high, it successfully drew his ire.
Roaring, Godrick turned, intending to incinerate the pillar.
"Tiona! Now!" Tione screamed.
Tiona, who had been lying on the ground playing dead, suddenly leaped up. She circled behind Godrick and, using the broad side of Urga like a massive door, slammed it into Godrick's heel with everything she had!
"Stay down, you old bastard!"
"Agh!"
The impact caused Godrick to stumble, his massive body losing its balance.
To Lynn and Ais, this slight loss of equilibrium was a flaw as brilliant and blinding as the sun.
"Ais! NOW!"
Lynn's roar echoed through the hall.
No further words were needed.
Ais's body reacted faster than her conscious mind.
Her form transformed into a streak of golden light, instantly crossing the distance between them and Godrick.
Time seemed to slow down.
She could see the opening created by his stumble—the one part of his body not covered by countless arms or thick hide: his vulnerable throat.
Her sword traced a perfect arc through the air.
There were no flashy sword skills, no empowerment from the wind—only the purest expression of speed and precision.
Puchi—!
The tip of the rapier sank deep into Godrick's throat without resistance.
"Heh... khhh..."
The cacophony of sounds emerging from Godrick's many throats stopped abruptly. He looked down in disbelief at the blade piercing his neck. The grafted dragon head slumped powerlessly, the cruel red light in its eyes fading rapidly.
He reached out with his countless hands, seemingly trying to grasp Ais, but ultimately, all his arms went limp.
The massive, grotesque body crashed to its knees before toppling forward, slamming into the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The deformed flesh began to transform into golden motes of light, slowly dissolving away.
The hall returned to its initial silence.
Only the heavy breathing of the four girls remained.
"Is it... over?" Tiona slumped onto the ground, her grip on Urga failing.
"Hah... hah..." Lefiya leaned against the pillar, her legs so weak she didn't even have the strength to stand.
Tione leaned on her kukri, staring at the massive scorch marks on the ground, her face full of the lingering relief of having survived a brush with death.
It had been a long time since they had fought such a thrilling battle.
Only Ais stood still in her spot, maintaining the posture of her final thrust. Her golden eyes reflected the drifting motes of light, seemingly lost in a moment of profound realization.
Right then, a notification that only Lynn could see lit up before his eyes.
[Godrick the Grafted Defeated] [Gained 5,000 Runes] [Gained Remembrance of the Grafted x1] [Gained Godrick's Great Rune x1] [Level-up conditions met. System Shop is now open.]
Lynn let out a long breath and sheathed the Bloodhound's Fang. He walked over to the still-dazed Ais and patted her on the shoulder.
"How do you feel?"
Ais's body shivered slightly as she snapped out of that mystical state. She turned her head to look at Lynn, her golden eyes shining with startling intensity.
"I think I... understand something now."
Her voice carried a trace of irrepressible joy and excitement.
"That's good," Lynn smiled. "Congratulations. The trial is complete."
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