Chapter 41: A Little More Effort

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: A Little More Effort

BOOOOOOM!!

The divine lightning finally calmed.

The violent currents dancing around the hall slowly disappeared while dust and broken stones rained down.

Damon’s chest rose heavily.

His eyes remained fixed ahead.

Then the smoke gradually settled.

And what he saw made even him freeze.

"...What?"

Freya’s ears stood upright.

The wolf.

The High B rank wolf stood before the Stormwing Drakelion.

Or rather...

What remained of it.

Its once majestic body had become completely unrecognizable.

Half its body had been burned away.

Its silver fur had disappeared.

Its flesh was charred black.

One of its legs was gone entirely.

Yet somehow, even after taking that terrifying attack, it had remained standing.

Not because it survived.

But because it had died standing.

Only now did its ruined body slowly collapse.

Thud.

As it fell, the Drakelion behind it finally came into view.

Damon’s pupils narrowed.

"So that’s what happened..."

His gut had already guessed it during the strike.

But seeing it with his own eyes still shocked him.

The wolf.

It had sacrificed itself.

It had thrown itself before the Drakelion and taken most of the attack.

Damon couldn’t help but stare.

Even Freya looked stunned.

He had never heard of such a thing.

A beast giving up its life to save another.

Yet the answer was right before him.

"Guess you really valued your partner..."

For a moment, Damon felt something strange.

Respect.

Then he shook his head.

There was no time for emotions.

His eyes moved to the Drakelion.

And immediately, relief escaped his lips.

"Haa... thank goodness."

It wasn’t unharmed.

Far from it.

Its four wings were badly damaged.

One wing had almost been destroyed entirely.

Burn marks covered its scales.

Lightning still crackled inside the wounds.

Its proud golden eyes had dimmed.

Blood dripped from its mouth.

Its breathing had become rough.

The once mighty ruler of the ruins looked miserable.

But...

It was still alive.

And it was still dangerous.

Beside him, Freya staggered slightly.

Her five tails drooped.

The little fox was exhausted.

Yet she stubbornly stood beside him.

Damon smiled bitterly.

"You’ve done enough."

Chirp.

"No."

Her eyes clearly said that.

She refused to leave.

Damon sighed.

"Freya."

"I promised you I’d stay alive."

"I still have plenty left."

"And besides..."

His usual grin slowly appeared.

"You know me."

"When have I ever run from a challenge?"

Freya looked hesitant.

He gently rubbed her head.

"Go rest."

"Trust me."

"I’ve got this."

After several seconds, she finally chirped softly.

Then she disappeared into the second core.

Damon exhaled.

Now.

It was just him.

Across from him, the Stormwing Drakelion slowly stood.

Rooooooar!!

Its confidence returned.

The fox was gone.

Its greatest threat had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Damon felt his heartbeat quicken.

He had confidently reassured Freya.

But honestly?

He knew this fight would be brutal.

Yet as the Drakelion slowly approached...

The uncertainty faded. And excitement replaced it.

His grin slowly widened.

"Heh."

"Now we’re talking."

BOOOM!!

The Drakelion exploded forward.

Its speed was still terrifying.

Damon immediately vanished.

Crack!

Silver lightning erupted beneath his feet.

Boom!

The floor behind him exploded.

"Still this fast?!"

Whoosh!

Wind blades flew toward him.

Damon ducked.

One shaved off several strands of his hair.

Another left a deep cut on his arm.

"Tch!"

Blood dripped down.

But Damon smiled.

His Aether had been recovering ever since Freya used her first skill.

His passive absorption had improved tremendously after weeks of fighting.

And now...

It was showing its value.

If he couldn’t overpower it...

Then he would outlast it.

Clang!

His knife collided against the Drakelion’s claws.

Shockwaves erupted.

Both were forced back.

The Drakelion roared angrily.

Its attacks became increasingly violent.

Lightning covered its wings.

Wind wrapped around its claws.

It struck relentlessly.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The ruined hall shook repeatedly.

Damon dodged desperately.

One attack missed him by inches.

Another claw left four bloody marks across his chest.

"Cough!"

Blood spilled from his mouth.

Yet he laughed.

"Haha!"

"That’s it?"

"After all that confidence?"

The Drakelion growled furiously.

Its attacks became even wilder.

And Damon smiled inwardly.

Good.

Exactly like that.

From the very beginning...

He had been attacking its mind.

The beast was intelligent.

But intelligence had become its weakness.

Because intelligent creatures could become emotional.

And emotional creatures made mistakes.

Clang!

Damon blocked another claw and slid backward.

His hands were numb.

"Come on!"

"I thought you ruled this place!"

"Why are you getting slower?!"

ROOOOOAR!!

The Drakelion exploded.

Its wings spread.

Lightning and wind gathered together.

Damon’s instincts screamed.

Danger!

He jumped away immediately.

BOOOOOOM!!

The entire area behind him disappeared.

"SHIT!"

Even Damon cursed.

That attack would’ve killed him without question.

Yet he grinned.

"Missed!"

"You missed again!"

The beast roared wildly.

It had completely lost itself.

Its attacks became desperate. Violent and Reckless.

Meanwhile, Damon remained calm.

His breathing became steady.

His eyes observed every movement.

The wounds.

The damaged wings.

The slowing reactions.

The unstable breathing.

Everything.

Little by little...

The hunter and prey had changed places.

Slash!

His knife left another wound.

Crack!

Lightning entered the injury.

The Drakelion roared.

Boom!

Its tail smashed into the wall in response.

But Damon escaped narrowly.

"Haa... haa..."

Blood covered his body.

His vision had become blurry.

But he smiled.

He loved this feeling.

Life and death.

One mistake.

One second.

Everything on the line.

And strangely... He felt alive.

The Drakelion suddenly stopped.

Its golden eyes burned with madness.

Then all four wings opened.

Damon’s smile disappeared.

"Here it comes."

The air trembled.

Lightning and wind gathered together.

The entire ruin shook.

Even the clouds above the floating ruins churned.

The beast was betting everything.

Damon grinned.

"Good."

"Bet it all."

"I’ll take everything you’ve got."

ROOOOOOAR!!

It attacked.

Everything disappeared.

Wind.

Lightning.

Destruction.

The attack swallowed everything.

Damon’s eyes widened.

His body screamed.

Move!

Move!

MOVE!

Crack!!

Silver lightning exploded.

He twisted barely... Just barely.

The attack grazed his side as blood sprayed.

His left shoulder exploded with pain.

But he survived.