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The second phase differed in trajectory from the first.
The Snow Drake’s movements — even larger and more aggressive.
And yet incomparably faster than before.
Flash—
Red eyes rotating as though surveying the enemies.
Then, the creature’s behavior shifted after brief mutual probing.
Whoosh—!
The Snow Drake twisting its hips and changing its tail’s direction.
A telegraphing sign of the pattern reversing direction and intensifying.
Whoosh—!
Charging straight on all fours, it loaded speed and swept its tail in a wide arc.
Too threatening — but the raid members had changed considerably as well.
“Hup!”
Squad 4 led by Mars raised shields and stood to block the attack.
Then a splendid golden light erupted.
A massive translucent shield materialized ahead.
At that moment.
Bang—!
The flying tail struck the shield.
Crack crack crack—!
The raid members’ bodies being pushed back, breaking through the ice, from the strong impact.
But the Drake’s attack was different from before.
Whoosh—! Boom—!
The tail surging consecutively with enhanced scales.
Even imbued with the wavering force of mana, it revealed blue afterimages.
“Hold on!”
Even against the all-destroying onslaught, Mars’s voice was firm.
The shield position shifting by tiny degrees while monitoring the strike areas.
It was Hanbit’s advice for preserving the skill’s durability.
“Hup!”
In the meantime, well-timed teammates’ offensives followed.
Flash—!
Individual auras surging from weapons — axe, hammer, greatsword and others.
Skills launched from each position came straight down onto the tail’s center.
Boom—!
The explosion-like surge of the skills’ impact.
The tail, caught in the powerful shock, was driven to the ground while breaking through ice.
Boom boom boom—!
Magic and bow skills arriving from range right after.
Attacks concentrated on the neck made the Snow Drake’s massive body tilt forward.
“Teeth! Drive into the right lower side!”
Hanbit raised his voice.
The raid members who reacted immediately lowered their centers in one motion and drove inside.
Crack crack—!
The Snow Drake’s head plunging as though falling, biting the air.
Cold afterimages scattered at the sides of the mouth.
“Oh damn.”
“Thought we were actually done for.”
The players had dodged the attack by the barest margin.
Without the Orb of Transcendent Sound’s buff, the reaction would have been late.
-Wow, damn;
-Four people almost got bitten there.
-A bite would be a one-shot kill for real.
-Mars might survive?
-Mars’s ancestors showing up still wouldn’t save them;
Bang—!
The Snow Drake, having failed its attack, kicked off and violently drove out its claws.
Just then, Blood appeared on the battlefield.
“Out of the way!”
Whoosh—!
Having twisted her stance with instinctive precision, she tilted the greatsword made of the creature’s blood and charged.
Screeeech—!
A large claw grazing the blade with a sharp sound.
Boom—!
The attack that barely missed was driven into the ground.
Having kicked off right there, Blood leaped without reducing speed.
Hiss—
Blood droplets popping around the greatsword accelerated violently and circled.
Whomp—!
Having quickly reached the Drake’s head, she drove the sword in with tremendous momentum.
At that moment, the creature’s mouth opened wide.
Crash crash crash—!
A mass of cold beginning to surge from inside.
Blood, facing the attack right before her — but the fighting spirit didn’t break.
Swoosh—!
The driven blade tip cut deeply inside the Drake’s snout.
Then the effect of ‘Bloodletting’ that Hanbit had explained followed.
Boom boom boom—!
Blood explosion erupting along the wound area.
Screech—!
The Snow Drake’s head shook and convulsed wildly at the pain raging inside the skin.
The fury of that pain led to the discharge of the cold mass gathering in its mouth.
Grooaaar—!
Cold exploding toward the enemy right in front.
It sought to swallow Blood, still airborne.
At that moment, from behind her, a wave of mist came sweeping in.
Boom boom boom—!
The surroundings being consumed, dyed a hazy white.
The Drake’s cold mass, having just been discharged, collided with the mist of enormous density and froze solid.
Crack crack crack—!
“Really strange. Everything’s going just as Black Dragon predicted.”
Whoosh—!
Haemu, stepping forward with a sigh, swung the fan again.
Then sharp-formed mist particles surged like a wave once more.
Boom boom boom—!
Mist covering the Snow Drake’s entire body in a sliding motion.
It ravaged the creature’s wounds and gaps in the hard scales, delivering pain.
“Now!”
Raid members who had confirmed Haemu’s skill poured ranged attacks into the mist.
Crackle—!
Boom boom—!
Explosions occurring and light scattering within the mist particles.
Screech—!
The Snow Drake took damage within the obscured vision.
-Oh.
-Isn’t massive damage going in?
-Are we killing it?
-Did we kill it?
-Stop doing voodoo;
The viewers cheered at the surging offensive.
At this level, sufficient damage was certainly being dealt to the Snow Drake.
But it was not a creature that would simply take it.
Bang—!
Having kicked off, the creature plowed through the mist and charged ahead.
Even with vision obscured — senses relying solely on instinct.
The creature finding the enemies’ positions was quick.
Whomp—!
The Drake’s tail, seething with fury, came flying in hard.
Boom boom boom—!
An attack surging while sweeping the broken icy ground.
The targets were Blood and Haemu, who had been closest.
Flash—!
Squad 4, having arrived at the promised position, used the shield skill and moved to defend.
But this time was a little different.
“It’s a feint! Spread out!”
At the same moment Hanbit shouted the warning, the Drake’s hips twisted.
Whoosh—!
Having slid and turned, the creature instantly changed the direction of the tail it had been swinging.
Thump—!
Vanguards who had registered the warning immediately fell back and spread the formation.
And simultaneously, the tail swinging downward drove into the floor.
Flash—!
A clear light rising from the gaps in the collapsed floor.
It was the enhanced thorn pattern.
Boom boom boom—!
Hundreds of thorns shooting up in a crisscrossing pattern from below.
They attempted to swallow the raid with chain explosions.
But this response too had been in Hanbit’s briefing.
Thump—!
Vanguards who had leaped high early directed themselves toward the remnants of surrounding ice structures.
The Snow Drake didn’t miss that moment.
Bang—!
Having kicked off, the creature charged at Squad 4 with their shields.
The intent was to first eliminate the enemies who had been continuously blocking attacks.
“Here it comes!”
“Brace!”
Vanguards who had been informed of the target priority by Hanbit were not flustered.
They immediately activated the shield skill and entered defensive stance.
But the Drake’s force, having approached full strength, had changed from a moment ago as well.
Whoosh—!
The Drake, leaping in one bound, twisted its body and swung the tail.
The moment it reached Squad 4’s shields.
Boom boom—!
Clang clang—!
The mana’s afterimage exploding and the golden shield shattering.
“Ugh!”
Having lost the skill, they pressed the shields in their hands against their bodies.
Simultaneously the tail hit everyone.
Smack—!
Most of Squad 4 sent flying with an enormous sound.
They were driven deep into the large ice walls at the fortress’s perimeter.
-Ouch;
-That’s incredibly powerful. Lol.
-Look at those terrifying eyes.
-This is 500 levels;
-How do you even kill this.
-Haemu, please;
The boss’s overwhelming force made the subjugation’s possibility be reconsidered once more.
But not all of them had been sent flying.
“Tch.”
Mars, legs driven into the floor, withstood the attack while being pushed far.
“Everyone fall back in!”
Mars, giving orders to those driven into the ice wall while kicking off.
Having materialized a large blue shield, he charged at the Snow Drake to fulfill the frontliner role.
Bang—!
The creature, sweeping a leg, grabbed the blue shield.
Grrk—
The Drake watching Mars with flashing red eyes.
The large mouth naturally opened.
Whoosh—!
Just then, something came flying at tremendous speed toward the creature’s head.
Smack—!
The Drake’s head snapping violently from a strong impact to the top.
Above that, Luna’s figure could be seen with one leg drawn up.
-Oh?
-A leg?
-Did she just kick it?
-??
Luna — a magic swordswoman who handled the ice attribute.
Of course she could deal damage without weapons — but the current situation was different.
Because only those with martial arts type skills would be able to land a blow like that on the Snow Drake.
Grrk—!
The enraged creature’s throat rumbled fiercely.
Flash—!
Simultaneously, a magic formation beginning to blanket the sky.
From there, hundreds of sharp thorns were generated.
Whoosh—!
The thorns that had chosen a target surged toward Luna at tremendous speed.
But she, wearing a smile, ran at the Snow Drake as though unconcerned.
Whoosh—!
Crack crack—!
The thorns flying in were cleanly cut down by Luna’s dancing-like swordsmanship.
Not a skill, not anything — pure physical ability.
Looking at the smile different from her usual demeanor, it seemed the mask was being properly used.
‘……There was a reason for the confidence she showed.’
Looking at those movements — it was the right choice to have entrusted her.
The mask’s effect directly connected to potential sleeping within.
He had known Luna had talent — but that too seemed to have been an underestimation.
“All raid members excluding Squad 1 — concentrate attacks on the tail and both rear legs! We’re going straight to the final wide-area pattern!”
Quickly revising the plan at Luna’s performance exceeding expectations.
Whoosh—!
Luna, having cut down all the ice thorns, was pouring attacks on the Snow Drake in earnest.
Whoosh—!
Swoosh—!
Not a single one of the creature’s attacks managed to reach her properly.
Movement too fast and too light.
Hanbit could tell the Drake was flustered.
Boom boom boom—!
Boom boom—!
Just then, the other raid members’ attacks too resumed.
Melee skills striking down while emitting waves, and long-range skills of magic and more surging from a distance.
Several skills, upon impact, left black smoke-like residue.
Grrk—!
The Snow Drake, moving its body, subtly retreated to the rear.
Pop—!
Simultaneously, a large fireball exploded from the front.
Shhk—
A grey acrid smoke obscuring vision.
Luna was still continuing her offensive.
The Snow Drake, watching that sight, suddenly drove its claws into the smoke.
Whoosh—!
An attack carrying the confidence that this could not be dodged.
But right now Luna’s five senses were in a state beyond their limit.
Screech—!
Reacting immediately, she raised her sword and deflected the driven claws.
Thump—!
Luna’s sword driven out with an immediate kick-off.
With a cold-scattering afterimage, the blade was directed toward the Snow Drake’s red eye.
……!
The speed, faster than anticipated, arrived faster than the Drake could perceive.
And then.
Thud—!
In the end, the snow-white blade lodged in the eye.
-Ouch;
-That has to hurt;
-Just die and be at peace.
-Please……
Screech—!
The creature, having been hit in the left eye, screamed and shook its tail wildly.
Then kicked off fiercely.
Bang—!
The Drake, risen on its toes while shaking the ground, leaped into the upper air.
An agility unbelievable given the body size.
Crack crack—!
Having fixed claws to the ceiling, the creature focused its gaze on Luna.
Caution and fury and killing intent mixed in the right red eye.
Wooom—!
Just then, an ominous resonance spread from the creature stopped above.
The preparation signal for a powerful wide-area technique capable of overturning the fortress.
Thump—!
Hanbit, immediately using Wind Leap, jumped up to halfway to the ceiling.
Having brought forward the storm-surging sword, he used another skill in succession.
Whoosh—!
The body moving as though lighting up as enveloping wind surged.
It was the spirit skill — Gale Slash.
Grrk—!
The enemy’s arrival — as though having teleported — was something even the Snow Drake hadn’t anticipated.
Whoosh—!
The gale surging along Hanbit’s blade was mixed with fierce flames.
What his gaze landed on was the distinctive scale below the creature’s jaw.
Whoosh—!
Hanbit without hesitation drove the sword toward the reverse scale.
Whoosh— whoosh—!
Crack crack crack—!
A rapid consecutive attack added with the Storm Barrage effect.
Screeeeech—!
The Snow Drake twisted its entire body at the eye-rolling pain.
The impact too great did not allow the creature to remain on the ceiling.
Tap tap—
Claws losing force, the Drake fell to the ground.
Hanbit, who had been borrowing Sylph’s wind, followed down behind it.
Bang—!
The Snow Drake landing on the ground.
Crash—
The breathing of the creature overwhelmed by pain and fury became even more irregular.
“Pressing the attack a little more.”
Having checked the condition, Hanbit again directed the attack.
Bang—!
Boom boom boom—!
Resumed combat with the compromised Snow Drake was still far from easy.
But the vanguards, having grown accustomed to the battlefield, were producing the best results from their respective positions.
Tap tap—
And so when about ten more minutes of battle had continued.
The Snow Drake’s condition had visibly deteriorated.
The raid members too, who had poured out concentration to a painful degree, were not unscathed.
“Ready.”
Haemu, having come behind Hanbit, said fanning the fan.
Five kinds of mist that had been layering up from the start of the second phase.
A mechanism to cause explosion by colliding mists of mutually distinct mana characteristics.
A considerably difficult composition — but it seemed to have succeeded.
Flash—!
Just then, a blue light began erupting from the Snow Drake as it curled its body.
The red blood flowing along the ground seeped into the icy floor beneath.
At that moment.
Crack crack crack—!
The ice covering the fortress began moving all at once.
“You can fall back now. It’ll explode if attacked, so be careful.”
That sight was less a wide-area technique and more like a final choice.
A self-detonation — detonating all its mana together with the fortress.
A pattern that wasn’t a pattern, created by the strong pride unique to the dragon clan.
Thump—!
Hanbit, moving his feet quickly, approached Luna standing at a distance.
The Frenzied Dance Mask only returned physical control to its owner after the desired amount of battle had occurred.
If not forcibly deactivated now, she would attack the Drake……
“Not too bad?”
“……?”
Hanbit made a puzzled expression at the heard voice.
“Are you alright?”
“Of course.”
A strange smile on her face — but Luna genuinely looked normal.
Maintaining one’s sanity while using that mask was an impossibility.
At least, it was a situation that did not exist in Hanbit’s memory.
Was it because it was now a game, or was Luna’s mental fortitude extraordinarily strong?
“……That’s a relief. First let me deal with that.”
Either way there was nothing that would become dangerous, so relief came first.
Hanbit, moving his feet, came back with the remaining two White Wyvern Hearts.
Having handed one to Haemu, he sent words of encouragement.
“If you fail, the subjugation goes up in smoke too.”
“That sounds like a threat and I like it.”
Haemu, shrugging, took the white sphere and stepped forward.
Crack crack crack—
The fortress shaking with increasing intensity.
The other raid was left behind with Hanbit who was holding a White Wyvern Heart.
Shhk—
As the cracks in the floor deepened, the blue light erupting from the Snow Drake’s body grew stronger.
Ahhhhh—
The thickening mist had already met all the necessary conditions.
The objective was to stop the creature’s self-detonation with an artificially induced explosion.
If the raid survived — the subjugation would be a success.
Flash—!
Just then, while concentrating on the changes, a blue light erupted through the dense mist.
Wooom—!
Air being sucked in along with an ominous sound.
Immediately Haemu, who had thrown the white sphere, drew the fan horizontally.
Slash—
An intense cold erupting as it was split precisely in half.
It collided with the composed mist and produced a powerful explosion.
Boom boom boom—!
The moment Haemu, body wrapped in mist, quickly broke away to the outside.
Two massive explosions collided at full force.
Boom boom boom boom—!
The impact created by the collision was powerful enough to overturn the fortress.
Even the broadcast camera couldn’t properly capture it.
Rumble rumble rumble—
The aftermath that had surged for a long time entered a lull after several minutes.
The center of the fortress, having lost its original form.
There, only the Snow Drake’s large head remained, its body blown apart.
Ding—
[Player Black Dragon’s raid has succeeded in the first subjugation of the Snow Drake.]
