Chapter 164
After leaving the Ganesha familia home, Draco made his way through the dungeon toward the 24th floor.
Initially, he had planned to fight the monster Rex ‘Goliath’ alone to level up; however, he soon abandoned that idea.
The reason was simple: monster rex's were closely monitored and needed to be cleared regularly to allow weaker familias to dive deeper into the dungeon.
Challenging a monster rex required following specific procedures to avoid clashing with the interests of other familias.
Adhering to these procedures would mean others could track his location and activities, potentially allowing them to observe his abilities or even ambush him during the fight.
The Bahamut familia was under scrutiny, and one reason they weren't constantly harassed was the secrecy surrounding their abilities.
Draco ensured minimal contact with other adventurers while in the dungeon, so little was known about their combat skills.
Considering all this, Draco decided it was best to seek out a green dragon, a monster that would present a similar challenge to the Goliath.
Fortunately, he had discovered a treasure tree protected by a green dragon two days earlier, and he quickly sealed off the paths leading to it.
A green dragon was also one of the monsters Draco intended to tame eventually, along with a Vouivre.
A Vouivre was an extremely rare humanoid female monster, and despite actively searching for one over the past months, he hadn’t spotted any.
However, Draco wasn’t too disappointed; attempting to tame such monsters wasn’t his immediate priority.
He had barely made progress with his firebirds and didn’t have the time or capacity to take on more responsibilities.
Time flew by, and soon Draco found himself on the 24th floor.
He began making his way to the location of the treasure tree, flexing his hand around his spiked Kanabo.
Draco planned to limit himself during the upcoming fight with the green dragon.
This was a strategy to increase the challenge and an attempt to acquire an evasion or defensive skill in his development ability list.
He intended to avoid using any form of magic.
With his partial dragon transformation, he could cover his body with hard scales, and his passive resistance to elements would be sufficient to withstand the green dragon's fire breath and melee attacks.
Armed with his dragon claws and trusty spiked Kanabo, along with nearly maxed stats, he could inflict damage.
If things got too intense, he could use his wings to create distance.
With these thoughts in mind, Draco sent a pulse of earth magic to open the sealed route and quickly closed it again.
He knew the battle would be brutal and that the dungeon would likely spawn monsters to interfere.
Within minutes, he stood before the treasure tree, a green dragon coiled in front of it, its eyes closed in rest.
Suddenly, its nose twitched as it caught the scent of an intruder.
Its reptilian eyes slowly opened, the slits dilating as Draco's form reflected in the membrane covering its eyes.
With a low, threatening growl, it stood up, its body towering ten meters in size.
It had two thick horns on its head and one on its snout, with four muscular limbs radiating power.
Although it didn’t have wings, its powerful, spring-like limbs seemed more than capable of high jumps.
Draco heard its bones cracking and muscles tensing, as if preparing to sprint toward him.
A savage grin spread across his face as he felt the intensity of the dragon's bloodlust, potent enough to crush weaker adventurers.
He could tell it was ready to kill him, a gesture that triggered his own primal draconic instincts.
Draco didn’t feel the need to suppress these instincts; he had taken all necessary precautions.
Instead, he let go and prepared for battle, ready to eliminate anything that interfered.
His body responded immediately, coating itself in thick black scales as his draconic wings sprouted, and claws and talons emerged.
Once his transformation was complete, Draco looked down at his spiked Kanabo.
It felt a bit awkward in his claws, they got in the way of his grip.
Reducing the size of the claws on the hand that gripped his Kanabo, Draco felt more comfortable.
‘Yea, this feels right,’ he thought, not taking his eyes off his opponent.
Taking a deep breath, he expanded his lungs rapidly and unleashed a primal roar, releasing the full force of his draconic aura and bloodlust toward the green dragon.
The green dragon was temporarily stunned before responding in kind.
Although it didn’t possess a draconic aura, its overwhelming bloodlust and madness compensated for it.
With a powerful leap, the ground cracked beneath its feet as the green dragon made the first move.
……………………………………………………………….
As the massive creature launched itself toward him with a mighty leap, Draco’s instincts kicked in.
He braced himself, feeling the power coursing through his veins.
With a thunderous crash, the green dragon landed mere feet away, its claws gouging deep into the ground, sending dirt and stone flying in all directions.
Draco had only a split second to react.
He shifted his weight, shifting his center of gravity low, and dashed to the right just as the dragon’s massive jaws snapped shut where he had stood moments before.
The sheer power of the dragon’s bite sent tremors through the ground, and Draco felt the air stir violently as the creature’s head swung back, not letting him out of sight.
Draco sprang to his feet, muscles coiled like springs.
He noticed the dragon preparing for another lunge, its powerful limbs tensing as it gathered momentum.
Using his wings for balance, he darted to the side, feeling the rush of air as the dragon’s tail whipped past him, narrowly missing him.
He grinned, exhilarated by the close call, but he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.
The green dragon, undeterred, pivoted sharply, its eyes gleaming with ferocity.
It unleashed a guttural growl, and Draco felt a tremor in his bones.
The dragon’s confidence surged; it was ready to deliver a crushing blow.
The air thickened with anticipation as it lunged forward again, this time aiming for Draco’s midsection.
This time, Draco was ready.
He dropped low, sinking into a crouch, and swung his claws outward, intercepting the dragon's powerful jaws with a well-timed jab.
The impact reverberated through his arm, but he remained steady, using the momentum to push himself upward, thrusting his spiked Kanabo forward with all his might.
The weapon connected with the dragon’s jaw, landing a solid hit that sent shockwaves through both combatants.
The dragon recoiled, its scales shimmering under the light, but it quickly regained its composure.
Draco seized the opportunity, launching himself into the air, his wings propelling him upwards.
He aimed for a strike from above, aiming to land a blow on the dragon’s back.
His claws glinted, ready to tear into the tough scales.
But the green dragon, not to be outdone, jumped and twisted mid-air, its tail whipping around to strike at Draco.
Draco felt the air shift as the tail approached, and he barely managed to dodge, barely grazing the ground with his talons.
He landed on his feet, shifting his weight just in time to avoid being knocked off balance.
The dragon’s tail smashed into the ground, sending debris flying.
Seizing the moment, Draco charged forward, his Kanabo raised high.
He swung down with all his strength, aiming for the dragon’s neck.
The blow connected, but the dragon’s scales absorbed much of the impact.
It was a glancing hit, enough to stagger the beast but not enough to fell it.
The green dragon let out a roar of anger, its eyes narrowing.
It countered with a powerful swipe of its claw, aiming for Draco’s head.
In a split-second decision, Draco ducked low and dashed to the side, feeling the rush of air as the dragon's claw passed.
He sprang back to his feet and countered with a quick swipe of his Kanabo, striking one of the dragon’s forelimbs.
The dragon hissed, momentarily distracted by the pain, but it quickly refocused, spinning its body in a whirlwind attack, raising loose rocks and fauna and forcing Draco to create distance between them.
The green dragon’s plan worked and the battle fell into a standoff.
The two combatants circled each other, eyes locked, both waiting for the other to make a move.
Draco could feel the adrenaline surging through him, his heart pounding in his chest.
He knew he couldn’t let the fight drag on; he could already hear other monsters in the distance, likely drawn by the commotion of their battle.
With a sudden burst of speed, Draco lunged forward, closing the distance between them.
The green dragon responded instinctively, swinging its massive tail in retaliation.
Draco anticipated the move; he ducked and rolled underneath the tail, feeling the wind whip past him.
As he came up on the other side, he swung his Kanabo in a wide arc, aiming for the dragon’s exposed flank.
This time, the strike landed with a resounding thud, the force of the blow sending the dragon staggering sideways.
Draco pressed his advantage, following up with a series of rapid strikes, each blow aimed at weakening the creature.
He was relentless, his claws striking with precision, each hit forcing the dragon to shift and adapt.
The green dragon, now on the defensive, retaliated with a furious swipe of its claws.
Draco ducked once more, narrowly avoiding the attack, but he could feel the heat of the dragon’s fury radiating off its scales.
The creature was becoming increasingly desperate, its movements more frantic as it tried to regain control of the battle.
Draco seized the moment and flew upward, using his wings to gain altitude.
From above, he could see the dragon’s movements clearly, its massive body twisting and turning in an attempt to track him.
He waited for the right moment, feeling the tension build, and then he dove down with all his might, claws extended and Kanabo raised.
The impact was thunderous. Draco landed squarely on the dragon’s back, driving his Kanabo down like a hammer.
The blow sent shockwaves through the beast, causing it to buck and writhe beneath him.
Draco held on, his claws digging into the tough scales, using the momentum to swing his Kanabo around for another strike.
The dragon roared in rage, its powerful limbs thrashing in an attempt to dislodge him.
But Draco was relentless.
With a fierce cry, he unleashed a flurry of blows, each strike calculated and precise, targeting the dragon’s vulnerable spots.
The creature’s roars of anger turned to cries of pain, and Draco felt the tide of the battle shift in his favour.
Finally, after a series of devastating blows, the green dragon stumbled, its legs buckling beneath it.
Draco seized the opportunity, leaping off its back and landing gracefully on the ground.
He watched as the dragon struggled to regain its footing, its breath coming in ragged gasps.
‘Sigh, what an awful sight’ Draco thought, feeling a little bit sentimental.
He hadn’t thought much about many monster while he slaughtered them, but perhaps due to his attachment to the firebirds he took in, and a green dragon being a monster he wanted to eventually tame, he felt a bit weird on the inside.
Quickly shaking off such dangerous thoughts, Draco refocused on the battle.
With a final roar, Draco charged forward, his Kanabo raised high.
He could feel the energy coursing through him, letting the thrill of victory within reach, distract his weird thoughts.
He swung down with all his might, aiming for the dragon’s wound on its exposed neck.
The blow landed with a decisive thud, and the green dragon let out one last cry before collapsing to the ground, defeated.
Draco stood over the fallen beast, breathing heavily, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.