The Demon Slayer Spear had actually exploded.
The explosion produced a huge wave of positive energy that spread from the valley like a supernova. The wave was practically a large-scale healing spell. Although it caused no damage, it left everyone present dumbfounded. Modesti hovered in midair for a moment before realizing what had happened, then shrieked with laughter. "Hahaha! You damn fools! What can you rely on now? Enjoy the taste of despair!"
Amid her shrill laughter, the dragon spread her wings and dove from the sky. Brando heard a sonic boom descend from above, and his scalp prickled. He did not even have time to look up and locate Modesti—he had only a split second to react—and had no choice but to judge the direction of her dive by sound. His past experience seemed to sharpen his senses a hundredfold at that moment. It was not as though he had never fought a dragon before.
Just not in this world—
Brando carried Roman over one shoulder and held the little elf and Chiara in his hands. He suddenly lunged forward. The sonic boom from the dive swept across the valley with a whoosh, like the sharp report of a bayonet cleaving through the air. The blade of sound narrowly brushed past Brando. Almost at the same instant, Modesti's claws swept across the spot, leaving behind a dazzling golden trail of flame.
Brando had already rolled across the ground and plunged into the nearby woods.
The little elf and Chiara were terrified into silence. They stared with their mouths agape, probably thinking they had already died. When Brando climbed to his feet and dragged them deeper into the forest, the two little girls finally screamed.
"Ah—!"
"H-how did you dodge that!?"
"Instinct." Brando bared his teeth and answered.
In truth,