Chapter 171: Paryong
Through two consecutive evolutions, I gained strength that couldn’t even be compared to before.
The power I had accumulated until now had come together, allowing me to push its potential to the limit.
Paryong.
Though classified as a mid-tier dragon, it became a divine beast distinct from the Red Dragon.
As a result, numerous abilities were unlocked.
The noisy status window informed me of this, but I didn’t need to focus on it.
I instinctively understood how to wield this power.
The Red Dragon looked at me with a hollow expression.
“…Ahaha!”
Then, as if regaining her composure, she let out a loud laugh.
Each time she laughed, the volcanic heat that had weakened intensified once again.
“So, I became the gate of your dragon’s ascension, huh? I’d love to celebrate if I could, but I doubt you feel the same.”
Although I had gained incredible power through successive evolutions, my size had barely changed.
This size was enough to overwhelm most enemies, but my opponent now wasn’t just any ordinary foe.
But it didn’t matter.
To prepare for the worst, I had been applying the miniaturization state from the moment I was caught by the Red Dragon.
I reduced my size just enough not to be noticed.
Thanks to this, my durability suffered, and it hurt terribly, but it gave me an option.
The miniaturization technique passed down to me by the Soaring Dragon was absurd.
A lizard of my size could shrink to the size of a gecko in an instant.
It couldn’t have been a normal skill.
It was as eccentric as that old man himself.
But it wasn’t a bad technique.
It was a skill that had saved my life countless times.
[The “State: Miniaturization” is being deactivated.]
Crack!
[The effect of “Miniaturization LV5” activates “State: Gigantification.”]
[The “Species Trait: Ancient Dragon” responds.]
[The effect of “State: Gigantification” is enhanced.]
Grrr…
My overwhelming bulk grew to match its size.
“Well, I’m curious too. How strong has my little one become?”
This was an enemy so dangerous that a moment's carelessness could cost me my life.
On top of that, White Wolf was lying defenseless.
Even though he was covered with the Fire Rat’s hide, it couldn’t completely shield him from the aftermath of the battle.
Crunch.
I tensed my hind legs.
My task was to escape this battlefield with the Red Dragon.
Boom!
I kicked off the ground as if flying through the sky, charging at her.
Whoosh!
Using my shoulder, I pushed the Red Dragon back with all my might.
Boom!
Even the Red Dragon, who felt as imposing as a massive mountain, couldn’t withstand the force of my strike combined with the mysteries of the Soaring Dragon’s Ascension Step.
At first, she seemed to resist with strength, but soon, she started to be pushed back.
“You’ve exceeded… my expectations!”
That didn’t mean I was in an advantageous position.
I could have responded in other ways, but I chose not to dodge to test my strength.
“I didn’t know you were this aggressive.”
Flare!
As she endured my attack by planting her feet firmly, she focused her fiery energy to create two massive spears in midair.
These spears were made of a material far harsher than the chains that had bound me earlier.
“You can’t just recklessly charge in like that.”
Thud!
The massive spear embedded itself into my back.
But it wasn’t an issue.
Sizzle…
Newly sprouted pure white fur began to grow.
This fur was made of the same material as the Fire Rat’s hide.
It couldn’t burn, no matter the circumstances.
The Red Dragon may have chased away the Fire Rat, but the Fire Rat was unharmed.
“…You got me with that?”
That meant even the Red Dragon’s flames couldn’t penetrate the Fire Rat’s heat-resistant fur.
While pushing the Red Dragon away with my shoulder, I stomped strongly on the ground with my hind legs.
Boom!
The mysteries of the Mighty Dragon’s Tremor erupted forth.
Like a dragon crawling across the earth, its overwhelming force kept driving her back.
Whoosh!
Boom!
Though it didn’t inflict significant damage, I achieved my goal.
The Red Dragon was sent flying dozens of meters back.
In other words, White Wolf’s safety was now secured.
“You keep calling me cute…!”
The Red Dragon swung her massive wings once.
Whoosh!
A gust of hot wind mixed with fiery energy rushed toward me.
This alone was powerful enough to instantly kill most beasts, but it was no threat to me now.
The Red Dragon likely knew this.
Which meant this gust wasn’t meant to attack me.
She had merely flapped her wings once.
Fwoosh!
The real attack was beginning.
The Red Dragon spewed a burst of crimson flames.
The scale of it was entirely different from anything she had shown before.
A flame shaped like the character for “large” surged toward me.
Its range was so vast that I couldn’t rely solely on the Fire Rat’s fur.
Evading it was nearly impossible as well.
But it wasn’t unmanageable.
Crack!
In an instant, a massive tree sprouted from the ground.
“Are you getting too caught up in this new power? Relying on wood will only get you burned.”
Boom!
Fwoosh!
The massive flames engulfed the tree.
Certainly, the disadvantage of the element was significant.
But there were always exceptions.
Crack!
Once again, a massive tree sprouted.
This time, it tangled like vines, forming a mesh of wisteria and ivy.
The trees became both floor and ceiling.
No matter how strong a flame was, it couldn’t burn without oxygen.
Sizzle…
The Red Dragon’s flames were extinguished.
“You blocked that? Did you always have such power?”
The Red Dragon smiled playfully.
She didn’t seem too concerned, as if the attack had just been a test.
Crunch.
I planted my legs firmly once more.
I had nullified her attack, but this couldn’t go on forever.
I had to engage her in close combat to seize the upper hand.
“Are you trying to fight me up close?”
Flare!
The Red Dragon, seemingly uninterested in creating distance, enveloped her hands in flames.
Clang!
My claws clashed with hers.
The collision of Dragon Claws and the claws of a dragon.
Screech!
Sparks flew as the intense clash continued.
The claws of the dragon, combined with flames, likely had greater offensive power.
Even without landing a decisive blow, they could gradually whittle down my stamina.
However, my front legs had become incomparably thicker than before.
Boom!
I pressed down on the Red Dragon’s claws with overwhelming physical strength.
“The more I see, the more I like you!”
Flare!
The fiery energy became even more intense.
But there was nothing I couldn’t handle.
I channeled the mysteries of the bird into my left hand.
And the mysteries of the snake into my right hand.
Eungsa Saengsabok!
Clang!
Screech!
The bird’s talons and the viper’s fangs deflected all of the dragon’s claws.
“Huff…”
The Red Dragon exhaled heavily.
But of course, for her, a heavy breath meant—
Roar!
It signaled the dragon’s breath.
Even this, I could counter.
The moment I saw the prelude to her breath attack, I also took a deep breath.
Screech!
Gecko Death Beam.
A technique I could now use even without the Dragon's Reverse Scale.
The dragon’s breath and the gecko’s beam collided head-on.
Boom!
Because of the close distance, both the Red Dragon and I were caught in the aftermath.
Sizzle!
A massive amount of steam was created, and we were both sent flying far away.
“You’re just too lovable!”
The Red Dragon immediately rushed in again.
She was a terrifyingly strong opponent.
Usually, at this moment, I’d be the one initiating a close-range battle.
Clang!
I quickly raised both hands to block her claws.
Flare!
Once again, the fiery energy surged.
“If you keep holding on like this, your claws will melt, you know?”
She even kindly explained the situation to me.
Not that I planned to maintain this state anyway.
Screech!
Because I had another weapon.
A tail that made up more than half my body length.
Covered in dragon scales.
Slam!
The tail, swung like a whip, struck the Red Dragon’s wing.
“Ugh!”
Momentarily flustered by the unexpected blow, she quickly recovered and didn’t allow a second strike.
Clang!
Even though my tail struck her wing again, it no longer dealt damage.
“…Little one.”
Her wings had hardened to a level stronger than steel.
“So, it really was you.”
Whoosh!
Clang!
She wildly swung her two steel-like wings, unleashing a flurry of attacks.
Crash!
That wasn’t all.
She continuously inserted fiery claw strikes between her wing attacks, trying to break through my defense.
Clang!
I responded with my tail and claws, but I was still at a disadvantage numerically.
In such situations, I had to maximize my strengths.
[“Dragon's Reverse Scale LV5” activated.]
[“The Reverberating Aura That Covers the World” temporarily acquired.]
Crack!
Overwhelming internal energy crushed down on the Red Dragon.
Of course, for a spiritual beast of her size, it wouldn’t have much effect.
But the Reverberating Aura wasn’t just for subduing enemies.
For a brief moment, it granted me immense power, enough to uproot a mountain.
The strength was so intense that even I found it hard to handle, and the muscles in my right arm screamed in agony.
Right now, my arm felt like a rusted machine.
[Strong fiery energy enters your blood.]
[Strong cold energy enters your blood.]
If it’s rusted, oil it.
The explosion of heat and cold provided propulsion to move my right arm.
With that, I unleashed a single attack.
Screech!
It ignored the Red Dragon’s offensive and broke through her defense.
“Ugh!”
The Red Dragon let out a painful groan.
She quickly exhaled flames and leapt backward.
“…You broke my arm?”
The Red Dragon stared at her left arm in disbelief.
The event had happened so quickly that she likely hadn’t even realized it.
Despite dominating in close combat, her arm had been broken in a single strike.
“Ha…”
The Red Dragon let out a long sigh.
She was probably blaming herself.
If she had fought from a safe distance, this wouldn’t have happened.
“This is driving me crazy.”
Her eyes turned crimson.
“How could you be so lovable?”
Flare!
Her energy didn’t wane but instead grew even stronger.
“Just as I was your gate to ascension, you are mine.”
Rumble…
The volcano trembled violently.
“Little one.”
The fiery energy I had suppressed began to surge uncontrollably.
Boom!
Countless streams of lava erupted around her.
Before the Fire Rat, this volcano had been under her control.
The volcano answered her call.
“No.”
Lava, flames.
And fiery energy.
Everything the volcano had to offer gathered toward her.
“Hee.”
The Red Dragon called my name.
“You want to save that wolf, and you’re probably thinking about what comes next.”
She pierced me with her words.
She was right—if the aftermath of our battle grew worse, I couldn’t guarantee White Wolf’s safety.
“You must have a lot on your mind.”
Growl…
Flare!
The enormous dragon with ruby-red scales.
“Let’s settle this in one blow.”
The fiery aura engulfed the dragon.
"My name is Lijamoun (利慈暮煇). It's a name brought from the Western regions, so I just attached it randomly."
Her crimson eyes, tinged with red, stared at me.
"Like a sun that has already set, sharp yet tender love."
Was this meant to be some form of courtesy?
"Revealing this is my way of paying respect to the one who broke my arm."
It was just what I wanted.
If the battle continued any longer, the damage would be catastrophic.
All-out power against all-out power.
It needed to be resolved in one decisive clash.
"Here."
The Red Dragon flapped her massive wings and soared into the air.
"If you can take it, then try to endure it!"
Knowing my situation, she could have dominated by bombarding me with ranged attacks from above.
After all, my ability to counter ranged attacks was limited, and I had to protect White Wolf.
Even so, the Red Dragon didn’t take that route.
Shrouded in flames, she descended upon me with overwhelming speed.
Screech!
That attack was her way of respecting me as her opponent.
[Activating “Dragon’s Reverse Scale LV5.”]
If that was the case, then I would also respond with my full strength.
[Temporarily acquiring “Great Heaven and Earth Shift.”]
I pushed my potential to the limit.
The Great Heaven and Earth Shift is a martial art that allows one to change the flow of power according to their will.
Although I hadn’t been able to use it before, I could now.
But that power was not to be used lightly.
If I tried to alter the flow of her energy upon contact, my body would melt in an instant.
Flare!
The air expanded violently.
Screech!
I focused every ounce of my concentration.
I needed to find a way to break through this situation.
I didn’t even have one second.
As time flowed like a fleeting lantern, I closed my eyes.
Long-range techniques couldn’t penetrate the fiery aura of the Red Dragon.
In close combat, I would melt before I could land a blow.
Then, what should I do?
Crack.
I braced my hind legs.
Ignoring the screams of my muscles and bones, I performed a motion I had practiced hundreds of thousands of times.
All the internal energy I summoned from deep within my dantian resonated with my attack.
Hum.
A dark blue sword aura formed in my right hand.
This was the strongest strike I could muster.
Gecko Divine Claws.
Screech!
A tremendous impact struck my body.
Thwack!
Boom!
Crash!
I had allowed the Red Dragon’s strike to land.
The extreme heat melted my scales, and blood flowed from all over my body.
“…The power is sufficient.”
The Red Dragon spoke in a tone of disappointment.
"But if you swing with your eyes closed, you'll miss what you could’ve hit."
Before she could even approach, she swung her claws.
“…At least you're still breathing.”
It was at that moment when the Red Dragon took a single step.
Whoosh!
A deep wound appeared on the Red Dragon’s chest.
"What… what is this…?"
I had swung my claws before she could reach me.
Which meant my attack was faster than hers.
"It didn’t even touch…?"
My claws hadn’t reached the Red Dragon.
I had merely sliced through the empty air.
"You… cut the wind?"
The Red Dragon muttered in a dazed voice.
"No…."
Her massive dragon form began to shrink, returning to a human appearance.
The Red Dragon placed her hand on her chest.
She seemed both angry at the realization that I had landed a blow and strangely pleased at the same time.
With her flushed face, she stared at me intently, moving slowly as if feeling the beat of her own heart.
Screech!
The raging peak of the volcano began to settle.
Boom!
"You’ve sliced through space itself."
Paryong had shattered the Red Dragon’s volcano.