"The temperature is getting higher and higher."
As the group's exploration progressed, the surrounding temperature rose higher and higher.
Although the Fire Shield prevented Vera from getting hurt, the feeling of scorching air entering her lungs was still unbearable.
"Hold this in your mouth."
Gorth handed over a seed that exuded a chilling aura.
Vera did as instructed, and her discomfort immediately lessened.
Seeing his companion's condition, Gregor knew he couldn't delay any longer. His gaze drifted deeper into the passage, where the heat almost distorted the air.
[Let's go, let's begin the boss battle on the third floor.]
"Boss, do you know where the boss is?"
Vane reached his hand into the crater beside him, trying to find out where the monster came from.
[The hottest place.]
Gregor walked forward, and the others followed.
The passage was exceptionally long, and the ground was gradually covered by flowing lava, making one wonder just how much solid rock was beneath their feet.
Upon reaching the end, the group stopped in front of a rock wall covered with lava cracks.
Without hesitation, Gregor threw a powerful punch.
Boom--
The rock wall crumbled, and a scorching airflow carrying ash rushed towards them, the sight of which froze them in place.
There was no boss room as expected.
Above them was a pitch-black "sky" billowing with thick smoke, and below them was a slowly boiling sea of lava.
The Pure Gold lava flowed towards the horizon, transforming into burning waterfalls at the edge, plunging into the Void.
Further away, new lava surges from the crater, flowing into this sea of death, forming a bizarre and spectacular cycle.
In the center of this infernal sea, the only landmark is a solitary island.
No, that's not an island.
It was a huge volcano.
Rumble--
Accompanied by the roar of the volcano, countless fiery meteors and black ash shot into the sky, only to crash into an unknown barrier and scatter back to Daichi.
"... Where did you give me this for?"
Vane stared blankly at the scene before him.
"Is this still Dungeon?"
Upon realizing what was happening, Gorth immediately summoned the expanded Shadow Crow, who led the group to observe the volcano.
"So big..."
Vera estimated the size of the volcano, growing increasingly alarmed.
"It's like someone shoveled a real volcano here."
[Perhaps it is a real volcano.]
Gregor's voice was heavy, Vera realized what was happening.
If the Grand Knight truly possesses consciousness, then is this Dungeon still the Dungeon in the game?
Gorth listened to their discussion, he began to observe the entire area.
"So, this place is like an ecosphere."
"The ecosphere is way too exaggerated."
Vane retorted, frowning as he looked at the edge of the plot, where the endless darkness and the bright lava sea echoed each other from afar.
"It looks more like a prison."
During the discussion, the group flew towards the volcano.
There were no living creatures on the surface, so if there really is a boss, its location is obvious.
"What do we do? Are we going to fight inside the volcano?"
Vane bared his teeth, his face full of resistance.
Even if I'm not hurt, I'm sure I'll feel terrible.
Let's take a look first...
Vane turned his head in confusion, Vera explained the reason.
"Boss, are you trying to test whether the BOSS here is conscious?"
[I have this idea.]
"But we ultimately have to defeat it before we can leave," Vera pointed out the contradiction.
[...]
"I just don't know if I'll be able to retain consciousness after being resurrected."
Gregor turned his head and met Vera's helpless gaze.
"I'm being reasonable. If the Grand Knight hadn't completely vanished, I would have tried to resurrect him too."
[Um...]
Gregor's voice softened considerably, and the group all turned their gazes toward the crater below.
Gorth urged the Shadow Crow closer, and Gregor suddenly raised his Holy Shield and roared.
[Get out of the way!]
In his view, the energy inside the volcano was increasing dramatically.
And accompanying Gregor's voice was a pillar of fire shooting straight from the volcano.
As if the sun were drawing near, Gregor leaped down.
The Domain Expansion, facing the blazing sun.
His body continued to expand during the attack. Gregor roared and, using the force of the attack, blasted back the ten-meter-long [Explosive Flying Shield] while it was still covered by the pillar of fire.
The three brothers stared wide-eyed.
"Quick, quick, third brother, get back! The volcano is about to erupt!"
Vane hugged Gorth and shouted, but before he could turn around, a loud explosion occurred.
"Hold head high--!"
An unknown roar shook the entire area, lava erupted from the crater, and the first thing that caught the eye was the golden ramming horn.
Following closely behind is a snout covered with ferocious, enormous teeth, with lava flowing through the cracks in its ancient brown scales.
The newcomer caught a glimpse of the setting sun, the lava seemed to be churned by a giant oar, and the head of an unknown creature burst out of the sea.
Scales like volcanic rock, horns like golden lava, a body like a mountain, and ferocious wings.
The enormous maw snapped down at the blazing sun, and with a muffled thud, golden streams of fire flowed from between the Behemoth's teeth.
At this moment, the ancient fantasy species came into view.
It is--
"Dragon!?"
Vera cried out in surprise and immediately tried to search her memory.
"This is a young dragon that has grown up. Could there be another one?"
They looked nervously at the volcano, but there was no further movement.
"Wrong!"
As the dragon lunged at the descending Gregor, Vane an incredulous scream.
"That's the Ashen Fire Dragon! The lord from the prequel!"
"Hold head high--!"
Only when the dragon made a move were they able to see its full form.
The giant dragon in front of me had four claws and two wings on its back; its body alone was a hundred meters long.
An undeniably colossal behemoth.
After a brief moment of shock, Gregor tried to communicate with the other person.
Wait a minute! You...
Before he could finish speaking, Gregor met the dragon's eyes.
Within the pitch-black whites of his eyes lurked a savage red, devoid of intelligence, brimming only with a frenzied killing intent...
Boom--!
Realizing what was happening, the Apotheosis was activated.
Flames erupted behind the four-armed Flame Demon as it charged towards the dragon's attack.
Gradually recovering from the impact, the two broke out in a cold sweat upon seeing this scene, but Vane exclaimed excitedly:
"Let's get the boss! Give him a numerical shock!"
With everyone watching, the dragon opened its massive jaws, Gregor flew straight into them.
Gulong--
"..." x3
Gorth rubbed his eyes and asked in confusion.
"The boss got eaten?"
"[Sarkaz profanity!]"
Vera raised her staff, and the light barrier instantly expanded.
Rumble...
The falling meteorites attracted the dragon's attention, and the Ashen Fire Dragon raised its head.
The blinding golden light traveled from the dragon's chest and abdomen along its neck to its mouth.
As another pillar of fire was about to erupt, the dragon's body trembled.
The enormous body suddenly leaped into the air, then fell back down.
The charged attack was interrupted, and the meteorite struck the dragon without restraint.
Vane cleaved through the incoming lava and shouted.
"Boss, are you dead? If you're not, say something!"
"Roar--"
A deep roar came from the dragon's body. The dragon, which had fallen to the ground, rolled around and suddenly raised its neck.
Its neck arched upwards continuously, and its dragon snout suddenly opened wide.
Two giant arms extended from within, pressing against the upper and lower jaws, and forcefully ripped them apart.
"Hold head high--!"
Accompanied by the dragon's agonizing roar, solidified flames erupted from its mouth.
The tendons on both sides of the dragon pattern tore apart, and the Flame Demon emerged with the flames, standing tall on the Daichi once more.
"Boss!" x3
The Shadow Crow descended from the sky, and the three of them leaped down, standing beside Gregor.
"How much of the reserves have been used?"
Vera asked the question first, while Gregor kept his eyes fixed on the dragon ahead, which was frantically shaking its head.
[Approximately 3 minutes of energy remaining]
"Now look at you, you've really become Ultraman."
Vane rested his twin swords on his shoulders and looked up at the enormous creature before him.
That's enough.
"Speaking of which..."
Gorth moved his body, and the shadow continued to expand.
"Is this the first real team fight we've had since we came into this world?"
Don't let your guard down.
Vera drank the potion and smashed the empty bottle.
"Boss, are you sure?"
[Ah... confirmed.]
The lava transformed into axe blades, and the Holy Shield grew as the body expanded.
[This guy is the enemy.]
"Then there's nothing more to say."
"Hold head high--!"
The dragon roared at the ants before it, its gaping wounds already healed.
"Hey guys..."
A thick aura of blood enveloped Vane's body, and the blood shadow rushed toward the dragon.
"I'll start the group buy!"
Blood-red bullets rained down on the dragon, leaving deep craters in its thick scales.
The dragon roared and swung its claws down.
Creak--
The giant tree that emerged from the shadows instantly tensed, and the dragon angrily tore it off.
Vane had already sped up along his forearm.
"The third one is easy to control!"
A crimson spiral climbed upwards, and Pure Gold blood gushed from the ruptured scales.
Vane leaped onto the dragon's head and unleashed a cross-shaped slash.
"Hold head high--!"
The one-eyed dragon roared angrily, and before Vane could continue, its wings, which blotted out the sky, lashed out horizontally.
[Time Stop Sound Effect]
Looking at the suddenly changed scene before him, Vane gave Vera a thumbs up.
"It's salvageable!"
Stop joking.
Vera raised her hand, and a dim light shone from the dragon's body.
The flames gathering power in the dragon's mouth froze, and a flying fireball blasted its head to the side.
Attacked by flames, the dragon became even more spirited, and with a roar, the giant trees binding its limbs snapped in two.
Gorth glanced wistfully at the embarrassed Gregor standing to the side.
"The flames don't seem to be working..."
[Sigh! Then let's try another way!]
Gregor charged toward the dragon, which raised its upper body and then slammed it down.
The rising column of lava shot up from the ground towards the group.
Gorth pushed the grove of trees with all his might, and the suddenly expanded giant tree crashed into him head-on.
Boom--!
Amidst the swirling black ash, a colossal lava Behemoth burst forth, slashing its horizontal axe towards the dragon's head.
The Ashen Fire Dragon reacted extremely quickly, opening its massive jaws to bite down.
Tie--!
The massive Holy Shield slammed against the other side, sending several dragon teeth flying.
Before the dragon could regain its senses, axe blades materialized in its remaining two hands and chopped down at its neck.
Pure Gold blood gushed out like a waterfall, the dragon howled in agony, and the axe blade was stuck in its dragon bones.
The dragon's tail struck the ground, causing Daichi earthquake that shattered the earth and reversed the flow of the fiery sea.
The group used their individual skills to fly up, and Gregor was swept into the lava.
The sea around Longyan was churning violently, and soon after, the giant dragon flew out, its body completely unharmed.
The four-armed demon rose from the sea and roared at the giant dragon in the sky.
"[Vampire's profanity!] Boss can't fly!"
Vane cursed and flew towards the sky, the dragon suddenly spreading its wings.
With a resounding Dragon's Roar, the volcano erupted, and countless meteors fell from the sky.
Can't you come up with something new!?
Vane's eyes suddenly sharpened.
The blood-red light from the black sword suddenly became dazzling, Vane gathered power inward with both swords.
The cross-shaped blood blade slashed out, scattering the meteorites in front of him.
"Mudamuda! We've seen enough of this kind of attack!"
Vane charged forward with confidence, but what was revealed behind the meteorite was a massive fireball gathering power in front of the dragon's forehead.
"Huh?"
Boom--!
Vane plummeted rapidly, about to plunge into the sea of fire, when Gregor grabbed him.
Are you alright?
"Yes, something's up..."
Vane cut open his body, and a large amount of blood gushed out.
"Phew... I feel much better now."
The shooting stars didn't stop because of their conversation, but the two weren't worried.
Buzz--!
Crimson lightning flashed from the sword's blade, and the vast, dark blade annihilated the stars.
Feeling her energy being depleted, Vera looked curiously at the magic sword in her hand.
"How come it's so easy to do..."
Seeing that its attack was ineffective and it had not fallen, the dragon cautiously circled high in the sky.
"I can't hit it!"
Vane gritted his teeth and took flight again. The dragon seemed to realize that these people were not ants he could easily manipulate.
With a roar, the sea of fire reversed its course and flowed into the high heavens.
Aside from Gregor, the other two felt a chill run down their spines. Gorth used the dense forest to create Daichi for them to rest.
"Boss, how much longer until you reach your limit!?"
[Less than 2 minutes left...]
"What if we replace it with a new core?"
"This only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause. If the boss stays in the air, you still can't hit it."
Sweat streamed down Vera's forehead as she gritted her teeth and racked her brains.
Is there any way...?
His gaze fell upon the "land" created by Gorth below.
Vera's eyes widened slightly.
"Third brother, fourth brother!"
"Here!" x2
Vera pointed to the "land" beneath her, then to the blood surrounding Vane.
"Pave the way for the boss!"
The group was taken aback for a moment, then understood what the other person meant.
Vane let out a wail and then stabbed himself with his weapon.
"For victory! Let's fight!"
A large amount of blood gushed out, and under Vane's control, it transformed into a surging crimson stream.
"Here you go, third brother!"
The stream converges and flows downwards, where giant trees climb and catch it.
"Boss!"
Vera looked at Gregor, then raised her hand and offered a weak attack.
"Charge!"
Rumble--!
With Gorth's full effort, giant trees surged forth from the sea, intertwined.
Using giant trees strengthened by blood as their core, a "sky path" leading to the heavens is constructed.
[Clear!!]
Gregor roared and charged down the path his brothers had cleared.
"Hold head high--!"
The dragon roared and plunged into the fiery sea in the sky, while countless enormous meteorites crashed down below.
Gregor raised his shield, ready to take the hit.
[Time Stop Sound Effect]
Boom!
Before the meteorite even fell to the ground, it scattered into countless fragments in mid-air.
"Just keep going!"
Vera, holding the Demon King's Oath, stood atop the Shadow Crow.
"I'll clear away the obstacles!"
[...]
There was no verbal response, only an increasingly urgent and upward roar!
"Hold head high--!"
The dragon roared again, but its anger was not as intense as before.
As the Flame Demon charged from the ground into the sky, something seemed to struggle within the dragon's chaotic pupils.
Dodge the attack.
No...
Avoid it!
No--
We have to escape...
No--!
A resounding Dragon's Roar echoed through the heavens and earth once more, and a golden light burst forth from the dragon's chaotic pupils.
I am the king of flames, the overlord of the sky!
This is my territory. You think you can escape here?
The dragon's roar resonated throughout the fiery sea, and its ancient brown body burst forth with Pure Gold light.
Enveloped in flames, the giant dragon swooped down towards the demon god.
No way!!
Hearing the Dragon's Roar, so different from before, and feeling the flames filled with conviction.
Gregor understood; this was the opponent's final blow.
Simply dodge the opponent's charge, then attack their back.
[...]
"Roar--!"
Flames surged, and the four-armed demon roared in anger.
[Should I avoid his sharp edge!?]
The dragon swooped down, the demon leaped high.
No tricks, no frills.
Axe clashed with teeth, shield with claws.
The blazing suns met in the sky, and after dispersing all the dark clouds, they converged and fell towards the ocean.
A tsunami of lava rose up, and the group quickly moved to higher ground to avoid it.
The two surged in the sea, and the giant arm grabbed the dragon's head and lifted it up from the sea.
Faced with this absolutely unfavorable situation, the dragon did not attempt to ascend to heaven, but instead mercilessly clawed at the demon god's face.
Their eyes met, revealing their arrogance.
The next instant, He Bao's fists rose from below and slammed into the dragon's jaw.
The gold fades, and chaos seems poised to return.
Get out of my way!
Light surged forth from the Holy Shield.
The dragon regained consciousness, only to be struck in the side of its face by a powerful punch.
The dragon was forced to fall to land, but Gregor did not pursue it.
"Roar..."
The dragon swayed as it rose and met the demon's gaze once more.
Blackness surged from his eyes, only to be repelled by the dragon's furious roar.
The dragon stopped attacking and slowly closed its eyes.
We lost...
That punch could have been delivered with an axe blade; my head would have been chopped off then and there.
The dragon lay prone on the ground, its forelimbs crossed, its head held high.
"Hold head high..."
You win...
The dragon and the demon stared at each other, blackness spreading from their pupils.
The dragon shook its head vigorously, urging it on with a roar.
Gregor raised his Holy Shield, and the dragon shook his head.
As if remembering something, the dragon's gaze lingered on the volcano, then it let out a soft roar at Gregor.
Although he didn't understand what the other person meant, Gregor nodded nonetheless.
The dragon closed its eyes, and when it opened them again, all was darkness.
"Hold head high--!"
The berserk dragon charged forward, and the group silently gathered their strength.
"It's over," Vera said softly, raising her longsword.
"Farewell, everyone." Gorth sighed, the shadow beneath his feet churning.
"Damn! It's making me feel uncomfortable just watching..." Vane spat, gripping his buzzing black sword tightly.
A giant shadowy spear erupted from the lava sea, piercing through the dragon's wings.
The cross-shaped blood blade tore through the air, inflicting further damage on its old neck wound.
A dark, sharp edge followed closely, opening the wound until the very end...
Sizzle--
The axe blade slashed across.
Boom--
The dragon's head landed.
The massive corpse slowly collapsed, merging into the sea of flames as the ground was evacuated.
Vera hesitated and raised her hand, but Gregor stopped her.
Let Him sleep like this.
Gregor turned around and led the men toward the volcano.
A proud king will not submit to anyone.
The sea of lava surged silently behind them, swallowing the last dragon scale.
Dragon--
He rests here forever...