Live Dungeon! – Chapter 31, The Fire Dragon’s Roar

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Translator: invichan

Editor: Silavin

Translator (December 19, 2024 Version): Barnnn

 

Tsutomu and his companions emerged to a shallow, basin-like terrain, landing gently on the dirt. In the distance, a monolithic cliff rose like a cleaved stump, its clean split a testament to some titanic force. Surrounding it, valleys sprawled outward in chaotic, jagged arcs.

 

“<<Fly>>, <<Protect>>, <<Haste>>.”

 

With swings of his White Staff, Tsutomu cast support skills on his companions as well as himself. Garm and Camille clutched their weapons tightly, hands firm as they braced for what was to come. From the shadowed crevice of the distant cliff, a crimson blur erupted, its form blazing against the jagged backdrop.

 

A thunderous roar ripped through the air. The very atmosphere trembled, dislodging small rocks from the cliffside in a cascading rattle.

 

The roar was more than noise — it pierced straight to the core, striking at their hearts like a dagger. Garm and Camille froze in its wake, their bodies seizing under the weight of its power. Their breath caught, their mouths going dry as tremors overtook them.

 

Above them, the sky briefly darkened under the presence of vast, beating wings — the wings of the Fire Dragon, its wrath ignited by the trespassers who had dared intrude on its domain. Camille stood rigid, her greatsword raised yet unmoving, as though the realization of her own insignificance had bound her in chains.

 

For all her heritage as a Dragonewt Deity — revered as the closest among humanoids to the Dragons themselves — Camille felt utterly eclipsed by the Fire Dragon’s overwhelming presence. Her knees threatened to buckle, trembling as though they might betray her at any moment. Even her arms quaked uncontrollably as if chilled by an unearthly frost.

 

She, as a Dragonewt, had always revered Dragons, even yearned to test her strength against them when watching their majesty on the Monitors. Yet now, faced with one in the flesh, the delusion of her ambitions unraveled. There was no triumph to be had here, not for her, not for any human. Especially not with only three of them.

 

As Camille sank into despair, Garm remained locked in place, gripped by a primal terror. It was the raw fear of prey caught in the gaze of a predator. His instincts betrayed him, leaving him unable to act.

 

“Ah, looks like it’s about to use its breath attack. Get ready,” Tsutomu’s voice cut through like a blade, calm and clinical, amidst the chaos. He assessed the situation as though the Fire Dragon’s roar were no more than an inconvenience — a mere echo of the Corroded Elder Dragon’s far greater fury.

 

But his companions were unresponsive. Seeing them rooted to the spot, Tsutomu stepped forward, tapping their shoulders in turn. Neither so much as flinched. Above, the Fire Dragon’s wings shifted, folding close as it fixed its piercing gaze on the trio, its slender neck coiling in preparation for its assault.

 

With a resigned sigh, Tsutomu reached for Garm’s stiff black tail, protruding from his Fire Coat, and gave it a firm tug.

 

“Gah!”

 

Garm jolted, clutching his tail as he whipped around to face Tsutomu. The exasperation in Tsutomu’s eyes was unmistakable.

 

“C’mon, don’t just stand there and get moving already. It’s almost here.”

 

Chided into action, Garm blinked, still visibly rattled, but managed to shift his focus to the Fire Dragon gliding toward them. Slowly, his hands began to move. He pulled up the hood of his Fire Coat and tucked his tail safely inside. Tsutomu turned to Camille next, delivering a light slap to her cheeks.

 

“Camille?”

 

“…It’s no use. We can’t win.”

 

Her voice was empty, her body sinking weakly to the ground. Gone was the fierce warrior; in her place was practically a girl overcome with helplessness. Tsutomu blinked in disbelief.

 

“Wait, what? Hey, what’s going on? That’s not like you!”

 

“…There’s no way the three of us can win.”

 

“Seriously? At least try before saying that! You’re supposed to be some kind of battle maniac, aren’t you?”

 

“……”

 

Camille’s instincts as a Dragonewt Deity were screaming that victory was impossible — the Fire Dragon was beyond them. Her strength alone wasn’t enough, and Garm’s resolve was no match for its presence. The hopelessness spiraled, consuming her.

 

When she failed to respond, even as Tsutomu shook her shoulders, he let out a heavy sigh and released his grip.

 

[Man, I didn’t see this coming… Never thought she’d be this much of a coward deep down.]

 

With a resigned shake of his head, he eased her greatsword from her trembling hands, draped her Fire Coat over her shoulders, and crouched beside her.

 

Above them, the Fire Dragon’s throat began to glow — a molten red that heralded destruction. Tsutomu’s hand darted to his Magic Bag, retrieving a Flash Bottle.

 

“Breath incoming! I’m throwing Flash!” he shouted.

 

The Dragon’s maw gaped open, flames licking at its edges. Tsutomu didn’t flinch — or at least he tried not to. With precision, he hurled the Flash Bottle straight at the beast’s face, then quickly pulled Camille close, cocooning them both within his long-sleeved Fire Coat.

 

A torrent of fire exploded outward, a gale of heat and light so intense it was unbearable — even with his back turned, even with his eyes squeezed shut. For nearly ten seconds, Tsutomu endured, his body rigid, his breath shallow.

 

When the flames abated, the Flash Bottle ignited midair, detonating with a blinding flare before the Dragon’s eyes. The creature shrieked, its wings thrashing as it recoiled, swaying its neck in a frantic search for its attackers.

 

Tsutomu rose, observing Camille — she remained slumped, her spirit shattered. With a grim expression, he reached into his Magic Bag once more and withdrew the hammer. Alone, he turned toward the Fire Dragon.

 

The beast loomed before him in all its terrible splendor. Its crimson scales shimmered like metal, perfectly arrayed across its serpentine body. Black claws curled into the earth. Its breath, hot and rancid, carried the tang of sulfur.

 

Tsutomu advanced, his grip tightening on the hammer. When the Dragon’s massive head lowered, he saw it — a crystal embedded in the center of its forehead.

 

With the Dragon’s head constantly swaying, smashing it while grounded was almost impossible; it would be safer to climb atop the creature. However, if he failed, Camille would remain a prisoner of her despair, and their slim chance of survival would vanish.

 

“<<Haste>>,” Tsutomu whispered, the skill refreshing his speed boost. With a deep breath, he charged, launching himself toward the Dragon’s forehead.

 

The impact jarred him as his knees struck the beast’s rough scales. Without hesitation, he raised the hammer high and swung with all his might. As the hammer connected with the crystal, a piercing shriek erupted from the Fire Dragon. The force of its roar sent Tsutomu sprawling, the world tilting as he lost his balance. He barely managed to twist his body midair, tumbling gracelessly toward the ground.

 

The Dragon retaliated, lunging forward with its maw agape. Jagged teeth, sharp enough to rend stone, glinted like knives. Tsutomu barely had time to raise his staff.

 

“<<Air Blades>>!”

 

The attack sliced through the air, carving a shallow wound inside the Dragon’s mouth. The creature recoiled with a guttural snarl, flinching just long enough for Tsutomu to escape it. The Fire Dragon, stripped of its crystal’s power, faltered in the sky. Its colossal wings beat erratically, and then, with a final, agonized roar, it plummeted. Relief was short-lived, however…

 

While Tsutomu clamped his hands over his ringing ears, he stumbled as his ankle twisted with a sickening crack upon landing. Pain lanced through him like a blade, and he crumpled to the ground, clutching his foot.

 

“Gahhh!!” The cry tore from his throat as he writhed. The ringing in his ears and the ache in his bones dulled his senses, rendering him momentarily immobile.

 

“<<Warrior Howl>>!”

 

Garm slammed his shield against his armor, the metallic clang reverberating across the battlefield. The grounded Dragon turned, its attention drawn to him.

 

Tsutomu bit back the pain, shaking his head to clear the fog clouding his mind. After haphazardly pointing his staff at his ankle and casting <<Heal>>, he limped toward Camille, who remained frozen. “Panic” wasn’t a defined status effect in the system, but it might as well have been — just like the berserk state induced by the <<Dragon Form>>. He leaned down, casting <<Medic>> as a precaution.

Whether or not the skill took effect was uncertain, but Tsutomu noticed a faint spark of vitality return to Camille’s eyes. Hoping to keep her spirits up, he addressed her with a cheerfulness that felt only slightly forced.

 

“Hey, are you all right?”

 

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.”

 

Camille reached for her greatsword and rose shakily to her feet. Her legs trembled like those of a newborn fawn, and the weapon seemed heavier in her grasp than ever before. It was clear she wasn’t in any condition to fight. Tsutomu placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.

 

“<<Protect>>. Hmm… Nope, you’re definitely not fine. Just keep an eye out for the fire breath, okay? Take it easy for now.”

 

“I-I can–”

 

“It’s fine,” Tsutomu interrupted gently, offering a reassuring smile. “I needed a warm-up anyway. Besides, if you suddenly go into <<Dragon Form>>, I won’t be able to keep up.”

 

His words left no room for argument. Tsutomu helped Camille adjust her Fire Coat before casting <<Protect>> on Garm. Then, he rose into the air using <<Fly>>, moving toward Garm, who had taken up a position in the opposite direction.

 

Camille remained rooted in place, her body trembling. The fear that gripped her was unfamiliar, a haunting feeling she hadn’t known in years. Doubts clouded her thoughts — doubts about the battle, about her companions, about herself. They weighed her down, leaving her frozen and powerless.

 

Garm, too, had faltered under the Fire Dragon’s oppressive presence. But where Camille’s doubt paralyzed her, Garm’s faith in Tsutomu pulled him back to his feet. His fear had not vanished, but he shoved it aside, bracing himself in the Dragon’s line of sight.

 

The Fire Dragon reared onto its hind legs, its tail slicing through the air with a sharp crack. Garm gripped the handle of his tower shield firmly and raised it to block the blow, but the force was immense. It sent him skidding across the rocky ground, his boots leaving gouges in the stone. Even so, he stayed upright.

 

“<<Shield Throw>>!”

 

With a powerful swing, Garm hurled his shield toward the Dragon’s rear right leg. The metal struck but bounced off the thick scales harmlessly before returning to his hand. The Dragon’s chest swelled as it inhaled deeply.

 

“Breath incoming!”

 

Tsutomu’s warning came just as the Dragon unleashed a torrent of flames. Garm pulled his Fire Coat tightly around himself, turning his back to the inferno. The searing heat pressed against him, but he stood firm, enduring the onslaught. The firestorm raged for fifteen agonizing seconds before the Dragon snapped its jaws shut, cutting off the flow.

 

The beast lowered its head, expecting to see only smoldering ash where Garm had stood. Instead, it was greeted with defiance.

 

“<<Combat Cry>>!”

 

Garm unfurled his Fire Coat and unleashed a red aura that coiled around the Dragon’s legs. The beast roared, shaking the ground, and Tsutomu seized the moment to act.

 

“<<Heal>>.”

 

From a safe distance, Tsutomu’s healing wisp bathed Garm in light, knitting his strained muscles and singed skin. The Fire Dragon, now on all fours, lunged forward, its claws carving deep furrows into the earth as it bore down on its prey.

 

Garm remembered Tsutomu’s earlier warning: avoid taking a direct hit from claws or teeth. As the Dragon’s massive claws swung toward him, he raised his shield. The impact sent him flying like a kicked pebble, his iron boots shrieking against the ground as he skidded. Despite the force, Garm recovered mid-tumble. He planted his feet, shook off the impact, and charged back toward the Dragon without hesitation.

 

The Fire Dragon lashed out again, its tail whipping with devastating speed, its claws swiping in wide arcs. Each strike battered Garm, sending him sprawling, but he always got back up.

 

Frustration built in the Dragon’s movements. Its roars grew sharper, its strikes more erratic in its continued attempts to crush the small, relentless warrior, but Garm dodged with precision, weaving through the chaos.

 

Meanwhile, Tsutomu maintained a steady rhythm of <<Heal>> and <<Protect>> as he supported Garm. Whenever the Dragon’s predatory gaze shifted toward him, Garm intervened with <<Shield Throw>> or <<Combat Cry>> to reclaim its attention.

 

The battle ebbed and flowed in this grueling cycle, stretching on for what felt close to an hour. Garm evaded the Dragon’s snapping jaws, endured its searing breath with the protection of his Fire Coat, and held his ground against the overwhelming force of its attacks. From above, Tsutomu ensured their survival.

 

When the strain on Garm began to show — his breathing growing heavier, his movements slightly slower — Tsutomu descended with a canteen drawn from his Magic Bag.

 

“<<Barrier>>.”

 

A shimmering wall of light appeared between Garm and the Fire Dragon, startling the beast just long enough for Tsutomu to hand off the canteen. While the <<Barrier>> could only withstand a single blow, it provided a precious moment of reprieve.

 

Tsutomu cast <<Medic>> on Garm, easing the tension in his muscles. He then gave him on the back before sending him back into the fray.

 

The Dragon’s claws raked through the <<Barrier>>, shattering it in an explosion of light.

 

[We’re staying alive,] Tsutomu thought, his sharp eyes tracking every movement of the battle. [Garm won’t crack under this pressure, and my healing can keep pace. But we can’t do this all day…]

 

Though Garm played the role of a Tank flawlessly, the stalemate was apparent. Neither he nor Tsutomu had the damage output to bring the Fire Dragon down — not to mention the risk of mismanaging aggro if Tsutomu were to attack — and every second that passed drained their limited resources of Blue Potion. Without a proper Attacker, they were locked in a battle of endurance they couldn’t win.

 

Tsutomu’s gaze shifted toward Camille. She was moving now, her greatsword held tightly in both hands. Something had changed — the sight of Garm and Tsutomu holding their ground against the overwhelming beast had ignited a spark within her.

 

“Camille! Are you ready now?” Tsutomu called out.

 

“Sorry… I’ve been a disgrace,” she replied, her voice tinged with both regret and determination.

 

“Hm? Oh, so you’re done recovering from your lack of sleep, then?”

 

“…Yeah!” she answered, her voice firm, brimming with renewed energy.

 

Tsutomu heaved a sigh, relief softening his expression. The pieces were finally falling into place — with Camille back in action, the tide could shift. His eyes sharpened with a hunter’s focus as he turned back to the Fire Dragon, ready to start the real fight.

 

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