Chương 77: A dense array of [entries]

"In that case, I have a condition."

As he spoke, he turned to Xia En, "Didn't you say the old man taught you for a few days? If I die, you're supposed to take care of the old man until his death."

To provide for the dwarfs in their old age and see them off in their final days?

To provide for the dwarf warrior king, whose average lifespan is 400 years, in his old age?

Xia En wondered if she had eaten mushrooms for breakfast today.

Or maybe Shutark ate some mushrooms?

"I think... Mr. Aize will probably live for a very, very long time."

"Will you agree or not?"

Shutark persisted.

Looking at the stubborn little brat's serious expression, Xia En sighed helplessly, "Yes, yes..."

"Also, if I don't kill the dragon, you must kill it. We can't let it continue to threaten the village."

"Wasn't it said there was only one condition?"

"Will you agree or not?"

"Yes, yes..."

Soon, the group arrived at the canyon next to the village.

This is the lair of the Red Mirror Dragon.

On their first day in the village, Frilian and Philon investigated the dragon that roamed there. Its scales had strong magic resistance, it flew very fast, its claws were sharp, and it could breathe fire.

It's a very powerful magical beast.

If the three of them work together, a quick kill shouldn't be a problem.

However, as for Shutark himself, he'll probably have to deal with things for a while...

"He went downstairs."

"He walked into the dragon's attack range."

The three men stood high in the canyon, watching the battle from afar.

Philon was clearly a little nervous.

Xia En knew that this was the first time she had ever seen a dragon, and the first time she had ever witnessed an adventurer fighting a dragon.

"Don't be afraid, Shutark will be fine."

Xia En offered her a word of comfort.

Philon frowned, his eyes fixed on the foot of the mountain.

"I'm just worried he might hurt the dragon's lair."

"?"

"There's a magic book in the lair that Lady Frilian has been eyeing for a long time. If it gets damaged, she'll definitely cry."

Xia En: "..."

As he spoke, Shutark stood directly in front of the [Red Mirror Dragon].

The dragon snorted, its huge golden vertical pupils fixed on the young warrior in front of it, its claws digging into the ground, its back arched, looking wary.

Shutark took a deep breath.

The look of complaint and fear that had appeared on his face was gone.

"My brother has always believed in me, and so has my master... It's so kind of him."

With that thought, he flipped his wrist, dragged the giant axe behind him, and began to run towards the dragon, launching the first attack.

The battle has begun!

The dragon gathered its inner fire and unleashed it in the direction of Shutark's charge, attempting to stop him at a distance.

bang bang bang- The continuous, enormous balls of fire energy shattered the ground, sending up countless grains of sand and gravel.

The earth was torn apart by the impact of the energy.

Shutark did not back down; his master's years of guidance and training came into play at this moment.

He ran across the undulating, fractured ground, dodging oncoming rubble with a slide tackle, his feet never stopping as he accelerated forward.

[When facing a formidable opponent of immense size, the key to victory lies in making a swift and decisive advance to the closest point.] My master's teachings echoed clearly in my ears.

He carried it out without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing that its fiery breath failed to intercept it, the dragon's claws pierced the earth, raising a huge cloud of dust mixed with rubble, which covered everything in the surrounding area.

Shutark slightly raised his arm to block the oncoming rocks, maintaining his speed as he continued forward.

Finally, the boy broke through everything that stood in his way.

They arrived before the dragon.

He exerted all his strength with his legs and leaped into the air, gathering all his power in his battle axe before slashing down at the dragon.

The scene of standing side by side with my master on the mountaintop watching the sunrise flashed before my eyes.

Shutark, you will surely become a great warrior.

bang—— The battle axe shattered the dragon's raised claws.

Using the slash as a springboard, Shutark flipped and leaped into the air, heading straight for the dragon's head.

The distance was too close, and the dragon was instantly put on the defensive.

The moment Shutark landed on the giant dragon's head, the Red Mirror Dragon roared to the sky, flapped its wings, and flew into the air, trying to shake off this terrifying opponent.

Shutark wedged his axe into the dragon's horn and held on tightly.

A man and a dragon are engaged in the most primal struggle.

Because its horns were being pulled, the Red Mirror Dragon was unable to control its body accurately and crashed into the surrounding mountain walls.

A major earthquake occurred.

The three people watching the game were almost unable to stand up straight.

Just then, taking advantage of the dragon's head-shaking motion, Shutark loosened his horns, allowing himself to be flung higher into the air. He raised his battle axe with both hands, a sharp red light flashing in his eyes.

[Flash Strike] This was the last move his master taught him.

It is the strongest combat skill that Master honed throughout his life.

bang—— Shutark transformed into a straight beam of light, piercing through everything and crashing into the ground...

Xia En looked at the scene before him.

I felt an indescribable envy.

This is the ultimate achievement of someone with warrior talent; it's the exhilarating combat experience that men yearn for most.

"Aize, you don't need to worry anymore. Your apprentice is very capable."

At that moment, Frilian, who was beside her, also spoke softly.

She felt relieved for Aize.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Wait until the smoke and dust on the ground dissipate.

Frilian grabbed Shane by the collar, and the three of them slowly descended to the bottom of the canyon.

The dragon's corpse began to slowly dissipate.

Shutark stood there, his chest heaving, but his expression was somewhat blank.

Frilian walked over and patted him on the back.

"Well done, Shutark. You exceeded my expectations. You're really something."

Xia En patted him on the shoulder, "Welcome to the team."

Even Philon, with whom he had an unpleasant encounter yesterday, gave him an approving smile.

Then, Frilian chuckled and ran to the side, to the dragon's lair.

"Treasure, here I come!"

It must be said that in movies and TV shows, dragon lairs are treasure troves, and this is not an exaggeration, but a realistic depiction.

The huge nest made of piled branches was filled to the brim with equipment, armor, and a jumble of colorful ores.

The dense array of entries made Shane's eyes dizzy.

Frilian collapsed onto the pile of treasure, laughing like a child over a thousand years old.

Even Philon couldn't help but pick up a somewhat damaged staff and examine it. The staff had a very unique shape and must have been a high-end item in the past.

Shutark stood beside Shane, gradually calming down from the aftermath of the battle.

He looked at Frillie, who was constantly picking through the treasures, and said, "They're just scrap metal. Why are you so fascinated by these things?"

Xia En smiled.

"Isn't it great? This way, the journey won't be boring."

Upon hearing this, Shutark paused for a moment.

"Master said that for various reasons, it was a long and boring adventure, but every time he told those boring stories, his eyes would light up..."

"But he's old and can't swing the axe anymore. There will be no new stories waiting for him in the future."

Shane looked at Shutark.

The boy's expression was somewhat sorrowful, and his gaze seemed to pierce through what was in front of him, looking at a certain figure.

"Shutalk, let's experience a new adventure together."

"One day in the future, when you return to Brett, you can happily tell Mr. Aize about it, and I think he will be very pleased."

Upon hearing Shane's words, Shutark opened his mouth, and after a moment, gave a small "hmm".

Just then.

From within the dragon's lair, Frilian's question echoed.

"Shane, come and see what this is?"