Level Eater

Tatsuro's laser struck the regenerating flesh, pushing through and successfully hitting the red gem. However, the gem proved to be much tougher than expected, and the laser alone could not shatter it. So, Tatsuro retrieved an iron ingot from his [Item Box] and stretched it out into a thin wire-like form.

Then, he fired the laser again to create a hole and manipulated the wire to wrap around the stone inside the dragon's body.

"Raaaah!"

Once it was securely wound, Tatsuro used various spells and magic to pull the wire towards him as if he were fishing. When it was within reach, Ai stood ready with her gem sword to cut it.

However, despite Ai's strength, the wire made a loud "clang" and bounced back when she attempted to cut it.

"What?!?" (Ai)

"Ai, step back for a moment!" (Tatsuro)

"Wha…?" (Ai)

Tatsuro's words were accompanied by the realization that the dragon had fully regenerated its head. It turned toward Ai, baring its fangs. With no time to dodge, Ai met the attack with her gem sword.

She did not try to cut but used the flat side of her sword to push up the dragon's jaw. After that, she leaped back to Tatsuro's side.

However, during that time, the dragon's massive body had fully regenerated.

"Could it be… we have to start over?" (Ai)

"No, at the very least, we've made progress." (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro chuckled at this dire situation while showing Ai the wire in his hand.

Ai was surprised to see that the wire's end continued inside the dragon's body.

"The wire didn't break." (Ai)

"Yeah, I made it quite sturdy." (Tatsuro)

While Tatsuro spoke, the object attached to the wire's end could be seen moving around inside the dragon's body. Ai and Tatsuro waited for it to stop while dealing with the dragon on the ground alongside Cardina. However, the wire's end kept moving, like a fish on a hook, never stopping.

"It just won't stop." (Ai)

"Do you think it knows what we're aiming for?" (Tatsuro)

They had planned to immobilize it and then use Tatsuro's magic, with him as the central axis, to blow it away. However, this technique did not allow for precise course corrections after firing. Additionally, Ai's mixed magic had too wide a range, making it difficult to target a moving object accurately.

So, what to do? Tatsuro was pondering, but Ai came up with a brilliantly simple solution.

"Hey, Tatsuro, you know what? When you're in trouble, just punch it directly!" (Ai)

As Ai said this, she took Tatsuro's hand in a lovers' clasp.

Tatsuro raised an eyebrow at her balled-up fist.

"Punch it directly, huh? Surprisingly, that might just work." (Tatsuro)

"I know, right?" (Ai)

Ai was delighted that Tatsuro shared her sentiment and began swinging their joined hands.

With a smile, Tatsuro readied himself for their final move.

"Let's do it!" (Tatsuro)

"Alright!" (Ai)

First, no matter what they decided to do next, they needed to stop the dragon's movements and create an opening. So, once again, the two of them took to the sky.

During this time, the three-level-boosted [Ice Blades] approached them. Ai swiftly dealt with them with a single stroke.

Then, as they tried to get closer to the Magic Dragon, it seemed that the pain from having its head torn off earlier was quite intense, making it difficult to approach.

In the midst of all this, they kept trying various tactics to pursue, but the level of [Dragon Flight] increased, enhancing their mobility even more. Additionally, the dragon's head moved like a snake, evading attacks. In the face of increasingly powerful attacks from their skills, the two of them cursed under their breath.

"What should we do? We can't get close like this!" (Ai)

"Yeah, having the wire is limiting my movements." (Tatsuro)

As they fretted like that, Tatsuro's [Magic Perception] captured the gathering of powerful magic around the Magic Dragon. He had only seen the pulsation of that magic once before. The Magic Dragon was preoccupied with the two of them and did not realize it was the target of a spell. Moreover, that magic was about to reach completion.

"Ice World!" (Leela)

"Leela-san!" (Tatsuro)

Due to Leela's magic, the space where the Magic Dragon was froze completely except for its head. The Magic Dragon, proficient in ice attributes, did not suffer direct damage from it, but its movements came to a temporary halt.

"Take this!" (Ai)

Ai's sword quickly carved a gash into the Magic Dragon's neck.

"Raaaah!"

With Tatsuro's magic, the head was severed and flew off. Then, as if perfectly timed, Leela used her ice magic to remove the ice from the headless body of the Magic Dragon. Watching this, the two of them landed before the Magic Dragon could touch the lake and held each other's hands firmly. Tatsuro held onto his left hand, while Ai held onto his right, combining their magical and mental strength. It was not about giving power to one another; it was about pooling their immense energy at the point where they were connected.

They were merely accumulating and harmonizing their power. However, it had a terrifying force when unleashed. As they kept their eyes on the Magic Dragon, waiting for the moment when the wire would fall, it finally dropped right in front of them. They were drenched in saltwater, but they did not mind, still holding hands as they ran toward their marker.

Before the Magic Dragon could finish growing its head, they synchronized their movements with the wire's end – toward the base of its tail. With clenched fists, they raised their hands.

Zuzuzuzuzu

Just at that moment, the Magic Dragon's head finished growing, but in that instant, the energy stored in their joined fists exploded in the location of that stone, shattering the source of energy for the Magic Dragon's skill called [Total Regeneration] and destroying the area around the base of its tail within a radius of about ten meters.

Losing the core of [Total Regeneration] did not immediately result in death. If the Magic Dragon managed to escape before being killed again, the core would regenerate, restoring it to its original state. However, before this clear-cut fatal blow, the Magic Dragon began to lose the power in its eyes.

|You have Levelled up to Lv 49|

|You have Levelled up to Lv 31|

|You have acquired the title Dragon Slayer.|

|You have acquired the title Perfect Harmony +1.|

The announcement from the system confirmed that the being that had repeatedly resurrected had finally died.

Though there were some concerning points in the result report, for now, they sat in the middle of the lake, still holding hands, using the dragon's corpse as a makeshift seat. Their bodies ached terribly from forcibly utilizing the mixed energy of magic and Ki, but right now, they basked in the sweetness of victory.

"We did it!" They Chorused

As they rested in this way, the door to the workshop opened, and several people who had been hiding inside came out.

Leela seemed to have spotted that and was explaining things to others. Watching this scene with tired eyes, they both realized that their titles had evolved due to the unusual rate at which their energy and magical power were recovering. They entrusted perimeter security to Cardina and took a break while using [Life Magic] to alleviate their bodily pain.

Afterward, Tatsuro expanded his [Item Box] further and began collecting materials from the dragon, including scales that had been peeled off multiple times and the two heads that had been blown away. Once that was done, the two of them flew out of the lake.

There, Zendo stood waiting.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, we're safe." (Zendo)

"We were just coming to the lake for some fun, so don't mention it." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, by the way, there were some weird things there, so we took care of them on the side!" (Ai)

"Is that so? On the side! Hahaha!" (Zendo)

Zendo understood their feelings and laughed heartily in response. In turn, they smiled, thinking that this easygoing relationship with Zendo was just right for them.

As the three of them talked, Leela approached them. They expressed their gratitude for the assistance with magic, and Leela also thanked them. After a brief conversation, the topic gradually shifted to their future.

"What do you two plan to do next?" (Leela)

"We're thinking of leaving Obsul and heading to Holmuz, known as the blacksmith's town." (Ai)

"We want to make armor using that material." (Tatsuro)

"Yes, to use that, we'll need to rely on a skilled blacksmith." (Ai)

Leela thought of the golden crystal fur while saying this and offered a word of caution to the two.

"Indeed, aiming for Holmuz to commission equipment is a good idea, but you might want to be cautious of the individual currently in charge of the merchant guild over there. It's still just rumors, but I've heard a lot of unpleasant stories," (Leela)

"Which means, aside from regular shopping, it seems wise to avoid places and people associated with the merchant guild," (Tatsuro)

"That sounds like a prudent choice. For armor crafting requests, it's best to rely on trustworthy individuals," (Ai)

As they nodded to this discussion, they felt grateful for the letter of introduction given to them by the old man, which seemed like it might come in handy here. Tatsuro then tended to the people in the workshop who were still under the influence of [Fear] and they discussed heading back together.

Zendo suddenly looked out at the lake and noticed something resembling a black mist floating above it.

"Hey, Tatsuro. What do you think that is?" (Zendo)

"Huh?" (Tatsuro)

"What is it?" (Ai)

With a puzzled tone, Zendo pointed ahead. Both Tatsuro and Ai followed his gaze, and it was clear that something unusual was floating over the lake, gradually expanding in size.

"Is that… a spiritual apparition? Tatsuro-san, use light ma—" (Leela)

Leela, who had seen something like it before, immediately recognized its nature and was about to ask Tatsuro to use light magic, the most effective countermeasure. However, it was already too late.

The mist completely covered the lake, and then sank into the water as if dissolving. The once beautiful lake turned pitch black, and the water became muddy and viscous like sludge.

"Wait… what's going on here…" (Tatsuro).

Zendo, who had spent more time with this lake than anyone else here, could not contain his shock as he picked up the changed water with his hands, his voice trembling.

"Zendo-san, don't touch it!" (Leela)

Silently, Zendo allowed Leela to pull him away from the lake. The other salt workers who had come with Zendo were also standing there in astonishment at the sight.

Seeing the distressing sight, the two of them approached Leela, who seemed to know something about the cause and urgently asked her for information.

"Leela-san, what is this?" (Tatsuro)

"How can we undo this?" (Ai)

"Please tell us; we need to know." (Tatsuro)

First, Leela calmed them down and made sure they were in a state where they could listen attentively. Then she began to explain what had just happened.

"The entities that appeared earlier are called ‘spiritual apparitions.' If you leave a corpse unattended for too long, occasionally it will transform and scatter curses like this." (Leela)

"So, you mean…" (Tatsuro)

"Yes, most likely, it's the final struggle of the Magic Dragon." (Leela)

"Is that so…" (Ai)

They stared at the lake in shock, realizing that even in death, the Magic Dragon continued to wreak havoc with its persistence.

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