As the starlight severed the dragon’s wings, it closed its eyes, not from fear of the impending fall nor from the pain of the wound.

No, it was shame—a searing self-reproach. This sensation of plummeting triggered memories Ohr Se Tabul had tried to bury deep.

Decades ago, he had bravely borne the noble king through Soviet air defenses, driven by a pitiful, reckless desire to recreate the ancient tale of a hero who had slain a dark lord and restored peace.

It was folly. Yet, the noble king had crossed the dimensional gate of Gaeseong alongside him. Soaring over the skies of a war-torn Korea toward Moscow, Ohr Se Tabul had believed unwaveringly in victory.

Neither anti-aircraft guns nor the MIG fighters were any match for his scales or his breath. Like the warriors of old, he was certain they would set the Kremlin—the dark lord’s fortress—ablaze and bring down the evil Stalin.

But he soon realized how wrong he was.

The Soviet air defenses were unlike those of China or Korea.

For a superpower dominating half the globe, a lone dragon was nothing more than a target for its latest weapons. Supersonic jets and an endless rain of anti-air missiles filled the skies.

Despite his desperate efforts, it was futile. His mighty dragon magic and the king’s artifacts couldn’t withstand the relentless onslaught.

Before they even glimpsed Moscow, they were struck directly by missiles.

A dreadful fragmentation warhead shattered his shield, and the fiery blast ripped through his right wing.

The wingless dragon and his noble king… fell.

Boom!

As Ohr Se Tabul’s massive form crashed to the valley floor, the entire landscape trembled.

Pain radiated up his spine, but he ignored it, instinctively shielding the back of his neck.

“[Never again! I’ll never let that happen again!]”

The spot where his king once sat was long empty, buried in the grave. Yet, his mind was still ensnared in the distant past.

Ohr Se Tabul unleashed his magic in a fit of frenzy, erecting walls of fire and layered barriers to block out missiles and fighter jets.

The perfect defense, practiced in his mind countless times.

But his opponent wasn’t the Soviet military. It wasn’t fighter jets.

It was a superhuman capable of charging through walls of fire bare-handed.

Thud.

The one who severed his wings leapt from the cliff, landing atop his shield. He felt the weight of mana and blessings in each step as the intruder sprinted toward his head and neck.

Recalling the blade that had cut through his wings, Ohr Se Tabul quickly dispelled his shield, standing to his full height. The valley shook as his massive body shifted.

Through his slit pupils, he saw Yeomyeong land on the ground. Heat gathered at the edge of the dragon’s maw.

Fwoooosh!

The breath attack was weaker but swifter this time, rolling like crimson waves down the valley.

In response, Yeomyeong swung both swords simultaneously.

His twin blades flashed, a trail of azure light slicing into the dragon’s breath attack.

Boom!

A powerful shockwave erupted, sending tremors through the air. The dragon narrowed his gaze, watching Yeomyeong withstand the impact.

The divine blessing enveloping the Earthling’s body, the unfathomable sword aura—it all pointed to one conclusion.

"[The gods… deny my vengeance, using the hand of an Earthling.]"

Yeomyeong neither confirmed nor denied, merely staring as the dragon steadied itself.

“[Insignificant insect, thief, and blessed Earthling…]”

Mana surged around the dragon, weaving dozens of spells that filled the blazing valley.

“[Do you, too, reject my vengeance?]”

It was a rhetorical question, a weak attempt to justify himself.

But Yeomyeong’s answer was enough to unnerve him.

“No, in my view… your revenge is justified.”

“[…What?]”

Raising his sword against the incoming magic, Yeomyeong held a worn iron sword, fragile and barely intact.

He could only manage to swing the Comet Sword technique two more times at most.

As Yeomyeong gauged his remaining strength, the dragon questioned him.

“[Then why do you oppose me?]”

“Because you’re targeting the wrong people.”

“[…]”

“If you had flown to Moscow, I’d be watching from the sidelines. If you were rampaging to kill the remaining Soviets, I’d be cheering.”

From behind the dragon’s bewildered expression, Pasun descended, exactly as planned.

Yeomyeong channeled his mana, keeping the dragon’s attention focused.

“But slaughtering innocent people? I can’t stand by. That’s all.”

“[That’s… all.]”

No further words were exchanged. The dragon unleashed his prepared spells with a sweeping motion.

As flames surged toward Yeomyeong, Pasun, the Saintess, and the mercenaries simultaneously attacked from behind.

 

The flames brushed his back as he narrowly evaded them, leaving a burning sting he could do nothing about.

Swallowing the scream that rose to his lips, Yeomyeong kept running.

He was the only one here capable of piercing the dragon’s scales and bringing it down.

With each inhale, he endured the pain, and with each exhale, he exploded with mana. The distance between him and the dragon shrank rapidly as he sprinted across the fiery valley.

Rumble…

The dragon opened its maw, anticipating Yeomyeong’s approach, intending to unleash its breath attack.

Yet, at that moment, Pasun dropped from above, slamming a fist down on the dragon’s snout.

“Just die already!”

The added momentum forced the dragon’s mouth shut, and the incomplete breath attack leaked out between its teeth.

But Pasun didn’t stop there. Blow after blow rained down on the dragon’s head in a flurry of mystic martial techniques, enough to rattle even the dragon.

The dragon staggered but managed to exhale a weaker blast, throwing Pasun off balance.

With one swift swipe, it flicked Pasun away like an insect.

“Ugh!”

Pasun was sent flying over the valley, clearly unable to rejoin the fight anytime soon, though his mana would keep him alive.

Without even checking on Pasun, the dragon turned its attention back to Yeomyeong, intent on keeping him from reaching striking distance.

As its mouth opened, Yeomyeong didn’t falter.

Because he knew others were there to help.

Bang!

A blessed bullet aimed for the dragon’s open mouth. Although it ignored this shot, the next barrage proved harder to dismiss.

Rat-a-tat-tat!

Dozens of blessed bullets rained down on the dragon’s head, fired from the opposite cliff by the mercenaries.

"Fire! Aim for its eyes! Stop the breath attack!"

Kim Mansu, the vice-commander, shouted as he hurled his hatchet. It sparkled with blessing as it lodged into the dragon’s nose.

The dragon couldn’t hold back its breath and withdrew the attack.

Redirecting its fire spells toward the mercenaries, it was met with blazing flames from Captain Kwon, who blocked the attacks with his magic.

Meanwhile, Yeomyeong closed the distance, reaching within sword range of the dragon.

The dragon, noticing him, took a deep breath.

As their eyes locked, Yeomyeong’s blade gleamed.

Blood splattered as the dragon’s right leg was sliced open, ruby-red scales scattering to the ground.

The wound was painful but not fatal, enough to force the dragon to kneel on one leg.

“[If you wish to kill a dragon, you should have brought a holy sword!]”

Turning its pain into rage, the dragon swung its claw at Yeomyeong, who nimbly dodged and readied what could be his final Comet Sword strike.

Thud, thud, thud!

With its front claws, tail, and intact left wing, the dragon launched a series of brutal attacks, each swipe sending tremors through the ground and scorching the air.

“Not yet… it’s not time.”

Dodging the dragon’s attacks, Yeomyeong waited for the perfect moment.

As his blood and mana surged through him in a frenzy, heightened adrenaline kept his mind sharp.

Soon, accelerated thoughts and calm logic aligned into a singular attack path.

…Hoo.

He took a short breath, then poured all his remaining mana into his sword.

A radiant burst of starlight erupted from his blade, embodying the legendary Comet Sword technique.

Though his strike was meticulous, the dragon remained unfazed, confident in its victory.

The reason was simple: this strike wouldn’t kill it.

The sword’s arc avoided its chest or neck, merely slicing past its left leg.

The massive dragon lost its balance and toppled over, though it was far from a fatal blow.

Another sword strike might have done the job, but…

“[What a pity! Wasting your last chance!]”

Yeomyeong’s iron sword broke, unable to withstand the power of the Comet Sword any longer.

Though he still had the blue dagger, it couldn’t replicate the force of the shattered sword’s aura.

“[My victory, Earthling.]”

Red dragon Ohr Se Tabul planted a claw on the ground, claiming triumph. He had lost his wings and could barely stand on both legs, but his foe had exhausted every move and failed to bring him down.

Short of bringing in missiles, piercing his scales was now impossible…

“[Unyielding to the end, are you.]”

Yeomyeong tossed the broken sword aside, charging straight at Ohr Se Tabul. The dragon admired his determination.

Only to respond with a barrage of spells.

Fwoosh!

Flames scorched his body. Fireballs tore through his limbs, and spears of flame pierced his side.

But Yeomyeong didn’t stop. Enduring the pain, he gritted his teeth and used his regeneration ability to heal the wounds as he continued his approach to the dragon.

Was he planning a final strike up close? The persistence was almost pitiful.

“[Such pointless stubbornness.]”

Unbelievable heat began to gather in the dragon’s maw, preparing for a final breath—when suddenly, a brilliant spark flew toward Yeomyeong.

“Yeomyeong! Catch!”

From a distance, a shining shotgun, specially crafted for him, flew through the air.

“Finish it!”

The Saintess’s shout echoed through the valley as Yeomyeong caught the shotgun.

And without delay, he fired.

Bang!!

Just as the dragon was about to release his breath, the bullet struck inside his mouth.

The simple metal pellets weren’t enough on their own. They had been specially treated with magic and blessed with divine protection, a unique set of rounds.

"[Kraaaah!!]"

The dragon couldn't contain the pain as the pellets ripped through his inner mouth, forcing him to turn his head, making his breath miss its mark and dissipate harmlessly into the sky.

With the dragon’s head now disoriented, Yeomyeong seized the opportunity and leapt onto the creature’s snout. The dragon tried desperately to shake him off, thrashing his head and swinging his arms, but Yeomyeong was faster.

The shotgun fired once, then again, each blast tearing through the dragon’s flesh.

Bang! Bang!!

With the flames of the shotgun scattering, the dragon’s vision faded into darkness.

Wingless, with broken legs and now blinded, the dragon’s roar of agony echoed through the valley.