A C-Rank Magic Student Who Deludes Himself into Thinking He Is SSS-Rank - Chapter 29: The Will of a Hero <3>

Alphonse was completely unable to comprehend what was happening to his body.

His strength had reached its limit; his sword was broken, and he was exhausted. The final blow from the Black Annihilation Dragon, which Alphonse faced, was something he should not have been able to defend against.

The Black Annihilation Dragon, too, was certain that this would be the finishing blow.

However, Alphonse blocked it. He stopped it with a sword that had nearly lost its blade.

A clear shock could be seen on the face of Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise. Seeing Alphonse continue to stand unscathed, the Black Annihilation Dragon glared at him and, as if in a hurry to end his life, launched a series of attacks.

A direct hit would mean instant death. Again, Alphonse dodged and blocked these attacks and returned them with equal force.

The sight of him, which had seemed like a mortally wounded insect being poked and toyed with, was no longer there.

Amid a fierce battle with Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise, who possessed overwhelming power, Alphonse was enveloped in a strange sensation.

Despite being so exhausted that standing was a struggle, he somehow blocked the Black Annihilation Dragon’s strike.

Furthermore, strength returned to his body, which should have been gravely injured, and now magical power surged throughout his body. He was pouring an extraordinary amount of magical power into body-strengthening and enchantment spells to fight the Black Annihilation Dragon, but he felt no sensation of his magic power decreasing or fatigue.

On the contrary, magic power overflowed endlessly like a flooded river.

“Your power…!!” exclaimed the Black Annihilation Dragon, opening its eyes wide in surprise.

Before he knew it, Alphonse was enveloped in a golden light that flickered like burning flames, and from the broken tip of his sword extended a blade of light.

The Black Annihilation Dragon glared at him with disdain and attacked even more fiercely.

Alphonse fought back, tracing golden paths as he clashed with the Black Annihilation Dragon.

Of course, this golden power was new to Alphonse. He had never handled it before, nor knew its name or how to use it.

But it felt like it had always been a part of him, and he could handle it naturally.

A strong will etched into Alphonse’s soul appealed to him.

— Protect the people.

— Defeat the black dragon.

The fierce battle between the black violence and the golden light was intense. The impact was so severe that the academy’s cafeteria was destroyed.

Magic power kept overflowing, but Alphonse’s strength was still not enough to surpass the Black Annihilation Dragon.

However, determined to defeat the black dragon, he clung to each of its disaster-like attacks.

Then, during the clash, he saw a momentary opening.

Alphonse created an opening in its upper body by deflecting the Black Annihilation Dragon’s sweeping attack with his blade of light.

Unconsciously, Alphonse had drawn his sword back and imbued it with golden magic power.

There was only one thing to do. In this brief opportunity, he would deliver a full-powered strike to the Black Annihilation Dragon.

—I’ve never used this power before.

—But I understand.

—This technique is imbued with emotions.

—The emotions of a hero who once fought to protect people.

“Sparkle of Glory: Sparkle Aire”

From the sword Alphonse swung, a dazzling blade of light was released.

This strike, condensed with tremendous magical power, exploded onto the upper body of the Black Annihilation Dragon, accompanied by a blinding light.

Immediately after, Alphonse was hit by a powerful shockwave that almost blew him away despite being the one who had unleashed the technique.

Although surprised by the incredible power of his technique, Alphonse, feeling a sense of accomplishment, focused on the scene ahead, shrouded in a cloud of dust and debris.

After a while, as the dust settled, his vision cleared, allowing him to see what lay ahead.

And the sight that unfolded before Alphonse made him widen his eyes and lose his words.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

This dragon had been spoken of as a calamity for thousands of years.

Appearing once every few centuries, it would commit massacres.

Villages, fields, and lives were all burned to ashes by its black flames.

People had fought against this dragon many times.

Amid brave resistance, many emerged as beacons of hope.

Sometimes, a giant swordsman, sometimes thousands of magicians, rose to defeat the dragon.

But this hope was crushed time and time again.

No matter how skilled the warriors who wielded their swords or how many hundreds or thousands of mages gathered to cast powerful magic, the unfazed dragon would sweep them away.

When the black dragon appeared, people’s peace came to an end.

Hope, light, and prayers were all obliterated by its overwhelming violence.

Thus, it was named Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise.

In front of this black dragon, all hope turns to despair.

“Such… no…”

Alphonse saw the Black Dragon of Demise, Schwaldius, unscathed even after taking his all-out attack.

Far from being unharmed, its body had grown larger, and ominous purplish-black light streaked across its pitch-black body like cracks.

The light bursting forth indicated an extraordinary level of magical power.

Alphonse was momentarily stunned to see the Black Annihilation Dragon even more powerful after his decisive strike, but he quickly composed himself.

If he couldn’t defeat it, he had to fight again. His strength gradually diminished since his last attack, but he couldn’t give up.

Alphonse braced himself once more, confronting the Black Annihilation Dragon.

However,

“Indeed, that man’s blood is dangerous,”

“…!!!”

The moment Alphonse felt an incredible shock, his body was thrown high.

The Black Annihilation Dragon undoubtedly attacked him, but he couldn’t grasp what happened.

The moment he realized he was airborne, Alphonse’s body was slammed into the ground with such force that it buried him.

“Ga… Ah…”

Alphonse, struggling to breathe after being struck so hard, groaned in pain, his face contorted.

Suddenly, a massive black shadow appeared before him.

It was Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise.

“It seems, at last, you cannot stand anymore.”

Unlike its earlier anxious demeanor, the Black Annihilation Dragon looked down at Alphonse calmly.

Alphonse tried to stand, but his body trembled uncontrollably, and he couldn’t muster the strength to move.

“No matter how diluted, that man’s blood is not to be underestimated.”

Saying this, the Black Annihilation Dragon opened its mouth wide, gathering a pitch-black flame.

“In recognition of your slight resistance against me, I will obliterate you, leaving no ash behind.”

The Black Annihilation Dragon formed an enormous mass of black flames in front of its mouth.

The relentless assault shifted to a finishing stance in an instant.

There was an air of determination as if it would allow no more miracles or hope.

Then, the mass of black flames was unleashed at Alphonse without hesitation or mercy.

The black flame didn’t just “destroy” but “obliterated” the ground in an instant.

When the black flame finished burning, a vast crater, too deep to see the bottom, formed before the Black Annihilation Dragon.

This time, the dragon was certain it had finally slain Alphonse without a doubt.

However, a strong sense of unease arose within the Black Annihilation Dragon.

It was not the eyes but the sense of smell that identified the source of this unease.

The scent, which should have been obliterated just now, was still behind it.

When the Black Annihilation Dragon turned around, there lay Alphonse,

And beside him stood another man.