30 Battles End, Dragon Slaying

Chapter 31: Battle Ends, Dragon Slain

It didn't matter that the Earth Vein Hand was shattered, what was important was that the moment the Dragon was restrained by the Earth Vein Hand, Yuan Chen and the others were already prepared to add insult to injury, to salt the wound and take advantage of the situation.

And now, with the Earth Vein Hand instantly shattered, the Dragon's right arm was raised with a roar—

As a bipedal, winged Dragon, the Flame Drake before them had its arms connected to its wings. The moment it raised its arm, the world before everyone's eyes darkened, as if even the sun had been eclipsed.

"Roar!!!"

The giant Dragon's winged forelimbs landed on the ground. After the fierce assault, the Dragon's body was already covered in wounds. But at this moment, the wounds instead became the Dragon's method of attack.

The ground was directly shattered, and as the intense tremors spread outwards, its magma-like blood scattered in all directions like a torrential rain.

Dance of Distance Breaking!

The heavy Flawless Heavy Blade transformed into rapidly spinning afterimages, both real and illusory, around Yuan Chen, forming an impenetrable iron curtain. The approaching fire rain was almost instantly cut into fine dust, and the rapidly increasing ambient temperature was dispelled by the water vapor controlled by Demon's Blessing.

But this time, even Yuan Chen could not escape—

The Elemental Drake's massive forelimbs pushed forward horizontally.

Standing on the ground, the enormous flesh wing felt like a red-hot iron wall, covered in patterns of hard scales. Where it passed, the ground turned black. The residual flowing fire not only blasted away all the Meat-toothed Beasts within range but also destroyed the Gravity Spell beneath the ground!

Caught within, even with Dance of Distance Breaking immediately deployed, Yuan Chen's body was still blasted away!

The moment he landed, Yuan Chen desperately lunged to the side, dodging the flying embers. He got up, covered in dirt and grime, but before Yuan Chen could reconnect with his scattered Flawless Heavy Blades, he immediately saw a scene of despair—

Compared to the other hunters, no one was more desperate than Mordas—

As the leader of the Meat-toothed Beasts, Mordas had always been at the forefront of the battlefield. This act of leading the charge drew the attention of the Elemental Drake.

As its enraged eyes locked onto him, its ferocious dragon claws drew a scorching arc on the ground, raised to the sky, and slammed down towards Mordas with a fierce shriek!

His pupils contracted sharply, a flicker of Fear appearing in Mordas's eyes. But soon, this fear vanished, replaced by a tragic resolve. Roaring, he raised his hunting knife, intending to stab into its body.

But at this very moment, a figure, a mix of gray-white and scorched black, lunged out from the side.

Under Mordas's bewildered and confused gaze, Naduo, whose fur was already half-scorched by the flowing fire, lunged into his arms and then unhesitatingly pushed him away!

"You are the best among us... Save Hana!"

With his final low growl, Naduo's body was directly smashed into the earth by the Flame Drake.

For an instant, Mordas felt as if time had stopped. He looked down, at the spot where Naduo had pushed him—

It hurt a little. A Beast Tooth tied to a string had embedded itself into his leather armor when Naduo pushed him.

Looking at the Beast Tooth, Mordas's gaze held a hint of confusion. Clenching the Beast Tooth in his hand, Mordas couldn't help but let out a roar.

"Ah!!!!"

Yuan Chen saw Naduo's death, but he didn't have the extra energy in such a battle to mourn a friend.

His smooth forehead was covered in bulging blue veins, and Yuan Chen could feel the sharp pain coming from all over his body.

The moisture in the surrounding environment had already evaporated in the dragon's rage. Even with Oshirresh's Blessing, Yuan Chen couldn't quickly establish new connections in this disrupted elemental environment.

His throat felt like it was on fire. The lung leaves in his chest were like an old house's chimney. The scorching hot air burned his esophagus and windpipe, but even with this stinging pain, he could only grit his teeth and force himself to suck in the scarce oxygen remaining in the environment!

He was still suppressed by the powerful Heavenly Power, but a dragon was a dragon. The flying fire had already ignited the surrounding mountains and forests. The ballistas that Mordas and the others had painstakingly smuggled were now out of control, along with the artisans dodging the fire, and were being ignited and swallowed by the relentless inferno.

Gritting his teeth, Lupe's eyes, swirling with Elemental Light, left two trails of blood.

Supporting herself with her hands, the four Skarner's Wheels, which had been violently disconnected from the Earth Vein Hand by the dragon, transformed into streams of light and merged into the remaining two relatively intact Earth Vein Hands. They struggled against the dragon, barely holding on.

However, as her energy depleted, Lupe, who had already reached the limit of what her body could bear by burning her life force to enhance her spellcasting abilities, was overwhelmed. She had only just managed to restrain the dragon's arms when the incoming pressure caused her to spit out a mouthful of clotted blood she didn't recognize!

Immediately after, the two Earth Vein Hands began to crack and shatter. Embedded on the arms of the Earth Vein Hands, the streams of light from the six Skarner's Wheels gradually dimmed.

Sensing death drawing near, Yuan Chen no longer cared about being gentle. He turned and roared, "Nedeli!!!!"

Hearing this, Nedeli gritted her teeth, feeling the Heavenly Power merge into her body, that pervasive burning and stinging sensation within her flesh and blood. Nedeli's teeth clenched as she opened her eyes:

"I know!!!"

As she spoke, the surging Heavenly Power swirled around her. Her long hair, like azure flames adorned with starlight, drifted wildly in the sky under the surging energy.

Raising the Earth Vein Spear in her hand, her muscles tensed, and the rioting Heavenly Power tore countless tiny wounds on her skin, burning fiercely!

This intense pain further ignited the ferocity within Nedeli.

Her eyes, adorned with azure flames, were filled with savagery. Power erupted from the soles of her feet, surging through her slender legs, rising from her waist. Her violently forward-leaning spine almost forcibly pulled her right arm forward in a full swing!

Legendary Trait: Dawn Bringer!

Effect ①: Death's Dawn:

Usable once per dawn, gain power enhancement from the Immortal Heaven. After locking onto a target, the next attack receives a significant boost!

Additionally, it adds guaranteed hit, magic break, burning, magic seal, Fear, critical hit, execution, and soul heavy pressure! The additional effects are mandatory and cannot be dodged by non-mythical beings or mythical professions! Ignores resistance! Infinite range!

Surging with the power of the Immortal Heaven, the ancient Earth Vein Blade was covered in azure flowing light. The moment it left her hand, a galaxy flashed in the sky!

Locked onto by Nedeli, the Flame Drake felt instinctive terror of death and let out a terrified roar. But when it tried to flap its wings to dodge, it found that the surrounding space seemed to be forcibly sealed by an invisible substance!

Its proud magic resistance seemed to have lost all its effectiveness in this instant. Even with all its strength, all it could do was barely shift its heart a few inches—

Chii!!!

The starlight-flowing spear pierced through its chest, the erupted Heavenly Power blasting a bloody hole through flesh and bone. It plunged in entirely, exiting from the other side. The moment it was struck, under intense Fear, the Heavenly Power completely overwhelmed its consciousness!

As the Crimson Dragon Eye filled with numbness, accompanied by a low growl, Mordas, whose fur was already ignited by the high-temperature air, swung the hunting knife in his hand towards the dragon's heart, which had been blasted into shattered bones and torn flesh, exposed to the air!

But unfortunately, even without all consciousness and power, the dragon heart in its enraged state was still the top-tier magical material in Runeterra!

Under the scorching heat, his fur ignited, Mordas, like a human torch, found his hunting knife, upon contact, instantly met with countless cracks from the magic surging around its blazing heart!

As the source of the dragon's magic, its enraged heart alone could easily kill mortals with the mere magic pumped around it! And this hunting knife, having endured countless heavy blows, was already worn and tattered beyond recognition!

Seeing the hunting knife shatter, a furious rage flashed in Mordas's eyes. Roaring, he swung his iron fists, striking the exposed dragon heart with all his might!

"Get out of the way!!!"

Just as Mordas felt a searing pain in his fists, a rough voice came from the side. With eyes full of agitation and unease, Yuan Chen, picking up the Earth Vein Spear, rushed to the dragon's front.

Filled with madness, threads of blood seeped from the thousands of wounds on Yuan Chen's body. Under the effect of the Demon's Blessing, they coiled like small snakes around the tip of the spear, transforming into dark red, spiraling cones with the evaporating blood mist.

Seeing this, realizing Yuan Chen's intention, Mordas didn't hesitate. He extended his nearly charred palms and desperately pried open the dragon's torn, blazing flesh from its chest, fully exposing its heart to Yuan Chen's sight.

"Die!!!"

With the injection of magic, the once light Earth Vein Spear instantly gained immense weight. As Yuan Chen thrust with all his might, the surging blood and energy on the spearhead exploded upon impact, followed by a starlight radiance. The ancient spear plunged in up to its hilt!

RUMBLE!!!!

The moment it was pierced, the sensation of impending death freed the dragon from the stupor of Death's Dawn. But its consciousness had only just returned when it realized its certain death.

Under terror and rage, the magic surging from the dragon's heart exploded, the activated magic energy transforming into surging flames, like a sympathetic detonation, unleashing all its suppressed energy in all directions!

Seeing Yuan Chen and the others about to be engulfed by the flames, Lupe, already at her limit, trembled as she raised her hands, controlling the faint glow of Skarner's Wheel. The damaged Earth Vein Hand embraced the surviving group!

But it was only for a moment before the palm was shattered by the energy blast, and Yuan Chen and the others were flung away by the subsequent surge of energy!

As the smoke cleared, in the dirt pit created by the shattered Earth Vein Hand, Yuan Chen lay on the ground for a long time. It wasn't until he heard intermittent footsteps that he painfully reopened his eyes and attempted to get up.

Unfortunately, that was unlikely now.

Just before being directly hit by the shockwave of the dragon heart's sympathetic detonation, Yuan Chen reconnected with the Flawless Heavy Blade.

Summoning it before himself to block and mitigate the shockwave, combined with the protection of the Earth Vein Hand and this body already strengthened by the Demon's Blessing, Yuan Chen was barely able to keep his consciousness from dissipating and fainting.

But even so, getting up was impossible.

His arms, legs, and ribs were all broken. His internal organs suffered extensive contusions from the shock, and his soft brain also sustained moderate concussion from being squeezed within the skull. Forget getting up; Yuan Chen's mind was numb even to the pain.

Opening his eyes, the world was a blurry mess of double images. Coupled with the anemia caused by using blood for enhanced attacks, Yuan Chen could do nothing but confirm he was still alive.

Through the corner of his eye, Yuan Chen could vaguely see Nedeli painfully maintaining the Heavenly Power that was tearing her body apart--

She hadn't completed her ascension in terms of life form. Instead, she attacked immediately after receiving a portion of it. This forced strike severely impacted her advancement process.

At least, her current consciousness should be frozen until her ascension is complete.

Mordas... Mordas should still be alive, but judging by the rise and fall of his chest, he's breathing his last. If he stays there, he'll be truly dead within the hour.

As Yuan Chen was thinking intermittently, hurried footsteps echoed from afar. Some Fleshfang Hunters who had wisely fled earlier returned, shouting towards the people on the distant mountain:

"Doctor! Come quickly! Doctor!!!"

The Elemental Healers from the village rushed over, but their ability to provide aid was extremely limited.

But just then, a child's cry reached Yuan Chen's ears—

Not tall, a thin figure stumbled and ran from afar. His eyes, once full of cheerfulness, were now filled with terror and panic. He tripped and fell, but the boy didn't even bother with the scrapes on his body. He immediately got up and continued running.

"Teacher! Grandma! And the Big Cats with knives! Don't die! Don't die!!"

Milio collapsed to the ground, sobbing.

He looked at his friends who used to laugh and chat with him, at the Fleshfang Hunters who shared the outside world with him, at his once incredibly kind but now dying grandmother, at Naduo, who was smashed into the dirt, a bloody mess...

"You promised you'd take me out to see the world! You promised we'd go to the city together! Don't die!"

Crying softly, Milio's intense emotional fluctuations began to spread outwards. A moment later, the Elemental Healers, who had been struggling to connect with the elements through magic, quickly sensed the change in their surroundings—

The elements, disrupted and shattered by the Dragon Heart's detonation, were being revitalized at an unimaginable speed. In fact, some were being over-revitalized.

Completely unlike the "orderly and precise" described by the Yuan Chu Axiom, these once cold, inanimate elemental energies began to gain warmth—not physical warmth, but a soul's consciousness.

Then, these elements formed flames. But unlike the explosive flames people imagined, these flames surrounded Milio, emitting a soft, gentle glow.

In the instant Milio wasn't aware, his soul connected with the injured around the flames.

No, not just the injured, but also this scorched wilderness, the scattered Flowing Water, even every leaf in the forest... An unprecedented warmth enveloped everyone present.

And in Yuan Chen's sight, Milio's personal attributes under the Special section, "Gentle Flame (Unawakened)," finally changed to "Gentle Flame (Awakened)"!