After Annie's second kick, the abrupt red "mountain" finally moved.
Then!
The huge, prism-shaped red scales covering its body all sprang upright. Under the blazing sun, they glinted with an eerie sheen, as if metal and some kind of energy had been mixed together. It looked as though the scales themselves were giving off an ominous glow.
"..."
"Grrr..."
With a muffled, thunderous roar of irritation that sounded as if it came from deep underground, the Red Mirror Dragon finally began to stir.
After all, anyone who got kicked in the nose twice while sleeping would have a hard time staying asleep.
The translucent nictitating membranes covering its enormous eyes lifted in confusion, revealing a pair of molten-gold slit pupils. Soon, its four pillar-thick legs rose and planted firmly on the ground, crushing it beneath their weight as the entire valley began to tremble.
Then its enormous wings, folded against its sides, suddenly unfurled. The foul wind they stirred up sent stones and dust flying, and Annie, who had just kicked it, along with Fern and Frieren, who had blinked behind Annie, were instantly swallowed by the swirling cloud.
"..."
After a while, its stretching over, the fully awakened dragon finally looked toward the tiny figure that had disturbed its sleep.
"!!"
Gollum!
Meeting the dragon's gaze, Fern instinctively swallowed.
"Annie?"
"Lady Frieren!"
"What do we do now?"
Seeing the terrifying Red Mirror Dragon staring at her—and its enormous slit pupils, each bigger than half her body—Fern was terrified. She wanted to ask Annie and her teacher, Frieren, if they had any good ideas.
Unfortunately...
She waited a while, but got no answer.
Confused, she hurriedly turned to look behind her and around her.
"???"
"???????"
To her horror, she soon realized that neither the dragon-kicking culprit nor her teacher,