Vol 1 Chapter 17 – UNFINISHED MONSTER

Spell Cannons tear through the forest in every direction, the area engulfed in light.

“Tch.”

But only the first one died.

The other Witch Cult members scatter and keep dodging.

“You could at least show some willingness to fight, you know?”

The Witch Cult members just keep running. They flee from my attacks constantly, rarely attacking in return. I casually block the occasional projectile with barrier magic.

“HAAAAAAAAA!”

I watch Ryshia chase the fleeing Witch Cult members, sword in hand, while my mind works.

What I need to uncover is their objective. There’s no way the Witch Cult’s purpose is just mass-producing High Poison Snakes and toying with us for no reason… There has to be something more fundamental at play.

I can’t read anything from the Witch Cult members themselves. Their emotions are dead. I even tried seduction tactics on them once before, and it failed spectacularly. I wanted to die that day.

What I need to confirm is this field where the Witch Cult was lurking.

I keep firing Spell Cannons, genuinely aiming at the Witch Cult members while casting detection magic across the entire area.

“There it is.”

At last, I sense the presence of a monster buried deep underground beneath this vast forest.

Hidden this deep, of course it’s hard to notice. But I noticed. So I’ve got a huge advantage, right? I spin my staff and point it downward, firing a Spell Cannon at the monster below.

I unleash it at maximum power. The Spell Cannon tears through the earth, carving a massive crater before slamming directly into the underground creature.

“«…!»”

The Witch Cult members’ faces go pale as they rush toward me.

“So that’s your real goal!”

Looks like I hit the jackpot.

I fire Spell Cannons at the Witch Cult members rushing my way. One, two—I take them down, but the rest charge headlong regardless of their lives.

“Nope.”

Getting close is a no-go. I’m not that strong at close range!

I retreat using magic while unleashing continuous Spell Cannons, simultaneously interfering with the monster in the crater below.

“Behind!? Watch out!”

“Yeah, thanks.”

A Witch Cult member waiting in ambush behind me as I backpedal. I crush them and turn to Ryshia, who positions her sword to guard my back.

“Keep watching my back.”

“Huh!?”

I entrust my defense to Ryshia and turn my staff toward the underground monster.

No matter how much I interfere, it’s not enough. I can’t understand the creature’s full form, can barely tell what kind of monster it is. All I’ve learned from interfering is that it’s artificial and still incomplete.

I don’t know anything else, but… I know completing it would be bad.

I’ll crush it now.

“Spell Cannon.”

Maximum power.

I draw a massive magic circle and pour in a enormous amount of magical power, preparing to unleash the Spell Cannon at the unfinished monster.

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

But the monster’s roar reaches me first.

“Tch.”

Damn. They’re moving it while it’s still incomplete.

Vol 1 Chapter 18 – DRAGON

As the monster’s roar reverberates across the area, the earth splits open. Dust billows into the air, clouding the sky. From the center of it all, something emerges.

First, undulating golden scales reflect the sunlight. Then, sharp twin eyes glaring at the heavens. A long, dignified beard sways in the wind.

“A dragon!?”

A dragon.

A being that should exist only in myth—majestic and savage.

The dragon writhes along the ground, shattering the cracked earth beneath it as it gradually reveals its full form. Mountainous ridges of scales line its back. Its tail whips like lightning. Pale blue flames leak from its mouth.

The dragon coils upward toward the sky, then folds its long body mid-ascent, spiraling as it turns its gaze downward toward Ryshia and me. What radiates from that stare is murderous intent. Indiscriminate murderous intent. Not just us—the Witch Cult members too.

A gaze that says it will obliterate every living thing on the ground.

“This is incredible…”

“Ah… a, a…”

This is bad. And it’s still incomplete.

“Run!”

“…!? N-Noah!”

I grab Ryshia’s arm and hurl her far away using teleportation magic.

“Phew.”

The Witch Cult members are already retreating.

If I escaped here, the dragon would rampage throughout this forest and spread destruction beyond it. I need to stop it here.

“So, I’ve always wanted to fight a dragon.”

A battle with a dragon. It’s like the climax of a story—how exciting, right?

“GAAAAAAAAAA!”

“Spell Cannon.”

The instant the dragon opens its mouth, I unleash a Spell Cannon to intercept the breath, neutralizing it.

I immediately teleport above the dragon, slamming a Spell Cannon into its head and driving it straight into the ground.

“GAAAAAAAAAA!”

It was a blow with everything I had.

But the dragon rises immediately, glaring up at me hovering in the air. I don’t sense much damage from it.

“This won’t be easy.”

How many Spell Cannons do I need before this dragon falls? Will I have enough magical power before it does? Will I survive its attacks without getting knocked down?

“Come on, my hands and feet.”

I spin my staff and activate more magic.

“Gaa… Gua!?”

With that magic, the earth moves.

As the dragon reaches toward me again, hands rising from the ground grab it and drag it back down.

Lightning falls from the sky, striking the dragon.