NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 144
144. No Way, The Legendary…
Rudolf fixed his gaze calmly on the dragon before him.
The world’s strongest magical beast, classified as Class S──the dragon.
Its combat prowess is overwhelming, to say the least.
The [Dragon Breath], a devastating blast that scorches all in its path.
The [Scale Barrier], a defense unmatched in its resilience.
On top of that, its fangs, claws, and tail unleash physical attacks of incredible power.
A monster equipped with phenomenal strength in both offense and defense.
Thus, those who defeat such a creature earn the prestigious title of Dragon Slayer.
But Rudolf felt no fear.
“Even if it’s the strongest magical beast in the world, it’s no match for me.”
After all, the number of dragons he had already slain exceeded fifty.
Even the strongest magical beasts were no more than ordinary foes to Rudolf.
“Come, show me your best resistance. My spear will crush it along with your defiance.”
His blood boiled──.
Rudolf was well aware of his own battle mania.
Confronted by magical beasts or demons, his blood surged with excitement.
It wasn’t justice.
Nor was it a sense of duty.
It was the sheer joy of violence.
The pure ecstasy of destruction.
The stronger the opponent──the greater the challenge, the more Rudolf’s delight intensified.
The Battle Factor Activated.
[Freezing Darkness]
[Shadowed Ice]
[Glaciation]
[Shattering Of The Azure Sky]
[Limb Enhancement]
[Nerve Reinforcement]
[Reflex Acceleration]
[Muscle Amplification]
He shaped the image, awakening the supernatural power──the Factor dwelling within him.
“Let’s go.”
The crimson warrior declared as he kicked off the ground.
The dragon twisted its massive frame, sending its colossal tail hurtling toward him.
A direct hit would surely pulverize a castle.
Yet Rudolf met it head-on without dodging.
Unleashing the full power enhanced to supernatural levels by the Factor──
“Oooooooohhhhhhhhhh!”
With a roar, he brought down his immense spear.
There was no need for subtle tricks.
A single, full-force blow was Rudolf’s ultimate and most powerful technique.
A strike he had named after himself──[Heavenly Spear].
Boom!
The tip of his spear, swung with explosive force, cleaved the dragon’s tail in half.
The impact sent a tremendous strain through his arms.
“Hmm, quite a strong specimen among dragons. To make my arms tingle like this.”
Rudolf smirked, the corners of his mouth lifting.
This opponent promised to be more satisfying than he’d anticipated.
“What’s next? Claws? Fangs? Breath?”
He sneered at the raging dragon that had lost its tail.
“Whatever attack you try, I will crush them all.”
The dragon let out a roar, spewing a fiery breath.
“Pathetic.”
With a mutter, Rudolf charged forward.
Swinging his spear with raw power, he dispersed the dragon’s flames with a gust of wind.
Continuing his momentum, Rudolf unleashed another full-power Heavenly Spear on the dragon’s massive body──.
※
Gwooooooahhh…nnn.
At the sound of its death cry, I turned around.
“There it is──”
Rudolf-san was driving his spear into the dragon’s torso.
In the next moment, the dragon slowly collapsed.
To take down a Class S magical beast with just a spear──
It’s no wonder he’s called one of the Top Three.
Now, only the Blaze Cyclops remains.
It’s a formidable magical beast, but with this team, we should be able to defeat it.
Of course, we can’t afford to let our guard down.
For now, it seems we’ll finish this quest without losing any of our team members.
I focused my gaze on the massive demon approaching──.
Boom!
Suddenly, the demon exploded.
“What the…!?”
For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend what had just happened and blinked in confusion.
──A red light filled the surroundings.
This… is…!?
An intense chill ran through me, as if my hair were standing on end.
Something was there.
Something exuding a pressure far beyond any magical beast or demon we’d encountered before.
“Stay alert! It’s not over yet!”
I shouted instinctively.
Alice, Sarome, the adventurers in the distance, and even Rudolf-san all turned simultaneously at my words.
“There! Look at that!”
Alice pointed to the sky.
A black void──the Syrega──was opening again.
From within emerged a massive silhouette.
A golden beak that gleamed.
A body engulfed in crimson flames.
Graceful wings spread wide──a giant bird.
“No way, the legendary──Flame Phoenix!?”
Sarome groaned.
“The Phoenix…?”
“It only exists in myths and legends. I can’t believe it’s real…!”
Even Alice wore a stunned expression.
“If we were to classify it, it would surpass S-rank and be in a Legendary S-class. Its combat abilities are incomparably greater than any regular magical beast. Far beyond even dragons──”
“Far beyond dragons…”
I dryly echoed Alice’s words.
It seemed we’d encountered an incredible foe at the very end.
The Phoenix burst from the black void, opening its golden beak.
Brilliant light began to gather within──
“Tch!”
A bad feeling struck me, and I quickly reactivated my defensive skill.
Moments later, a scorching beam erupted from the Phoenix’s mouth, sweeping across the ground in a crimson shockwave.
The beam clashed with my defensive skill.
Iridescent light and crimson explosions erupted and scattered.
Flashes of light.
Roaring shockwaves.
Clouds of dust swirling in the air.
Alice and Sarome nearby were safe.
But the adventurers farther away were caught in the blast and were annihilated, leaving neither flesh nor bone behind.
All that remained was a trace of ash.
“No… way…”
I stood in shock.
The sheer destructive force was overwhelming.
It was enough to make me believe it could annihilate an entire city with a single attack.
“Ha, fascinating. A legendary magical beast that surpasses Class S, eh?”
Rudolf-san seemed unharmed.
No, not completely unscathed.
His crimson armor was scorched and smoldering.
Even so, he appeared largely unbothered as he strode toward the Phoenix.
“The stronger the prey, the better.”
Rudolf’s voice brimmed with fighting spirit.
There was even a tinge of joy in it.
“I’ve been waiting for a magical beast like you.”