Defeating the World with the Power of One Dragon!

Chapter 39: Kill the Backline First in Team Fights

Samantha's roar echoed through the Iron Fir Hills, shaking loose dust from the cliff walls.

Numerous poisoned crossbow bolts protruded from her body, including the initial hit on her right wing joint. The blue-tinged toxins spread across her scales, combining with the necromancer's curses to induce waves of weakness, numbness, and sluggishness.

The alchemy workshop had long been reduced to rubble.

Boiling black oil splashed across the ground, melting gravel into glassy crusts. The iron fir trunks bore deep claw marks, their bark scorched black by lingering dragonfire.

Samantha's tail swept across the stone platform, sending shrapnel-like debris clattering against the warriors' armor.

The necromancer's ghostly skeletal flames surged again, this time aiming for Samantha's eyes.

The red dragon jerked her head aside, but the golden-haired warrior seized the opening to charge forward, his massive sword cleaving into an old wound on her forelimb. Dragon blood spilled forth, glistening crimson under the moonlight.

"You wretched insects!"

Samantha bellowed.

The pain ignited the savage fury in her red dragon bloodline. She suddenly reared upright, her hind legs launching her several meters into the air as she hurled her full weight at the golden-haired warrior. Unfortunately, her movement lacked precision and speed.

Her ferocity didn't even reach one-tenth of Garoth's.

The golden-haired warrior easily rolled aside, evading Samantha's charge.

This mistake cost the young dragon dearly.

The spellcaster's binding incantation seized the opportunity to land upon Samantha's back.

It felt like a mountain had suddenly settled between her wings. Her claws sank deep into the bedrock as she struggled to support her own weight.

A grappling hook whistled through the air, its tip lodging between Samantha's scales while the rope was swiftly secured around a thick iron fir trunk by the rogue.

"Divine Retribution!"

The white-robed priest raised then slammed down his palm, summoning a bolt of sacred energy that struck Samantha like lightning, splitting her hide and sending up wisps of acrid smoke.

Holy-based attacks dealt double damage to evil dragons.

Samantha gnashed her teeth in agony, her entire body trembling violently.

The adventurers' assaults came like a relentless storm, wave after wave leaving the young red dragon overwhelmed.

The golden-haired warrior heaved his greatsword high, its runes blazing blindingly bright as he swung toward Samantha's hind leg.

This vicious strike, like their previous attacks, avoided her neck or other vital areas - for good reason. They wanted to capture the young dragon alive.

A living juvenile dragon

Was worth several times more than a dead one.

Anticipating unimaginable wealth, all five adventurers couldn't help but grin.

However.

Just as the blade began its descent, darkness suddenly fell upon them.

Not from clouds obscuring the moon, but from some massive creature blotting out the stars, casting a shadow that engulfed both combatants.

The tension drained from Samantha's draconic features as she smiled.

"Filthy insects, now you'll all die."

She declared.

The strained expressions transferred to the adventurers' faces as their smiles froze then shattered.

Everyone heard the sound.

—Like thunder rolling along the ground, or steel being torn asunder.

The explosive roar of wings shredding air announced Garoth's dive, the airflow splitting around the feather-like scales on his membranes forming a pressure wave of impending doom.

"Another dragon! Full alert! Haven, cast the Grounding Curse now!"

The golden-haired warrior roared, looking up into the red iron dragonling's pupils darker than midnight as the windblast whipped his hair wildly.

The spellcaster swiftly wove the anti-flight incantation.

This spell automatically locked onto its target - unavoidable for a juvenile dragon's magic resistance. Once the magical energy in its wings dissipated, its flight would become severely impaired, losing balance.

Just as they'd done to Samantha.

Intricate runes materialized across Garoth's wings.

Yet contrary to their expectations, this unnaturally muscular dragonling showed no reaction. His enormous, disproportionately massive wings beat powerfully as he continued his lightning-fast approach.

The black-and-red draconic shadow skimmed the treetops, shearing off branches at their bases in a whirlwind of dancing leaves.

No time to question why.

Facing the meteor-like descending dragon, the golden-haired warrior rolled aside as before, evading the aerial assault.

Simultaneously, the black-red draconic figure banked sharply with incredible agility.

He changed course, ignoring the warrior to abruptly appear above the spellcaster.

Shadow enveloped the mage.

The spellcaster's heart clenched, his breath catching under the overwhelming pressure.

At the critical moment, his necklace flared to life, activating a protective spell.

Shield!

A translucent yellow barrier encased the spellcaster.

CRACK! With a thunderous impact, the shield shattered like eggshell beneath Garoth's claws. The mage's eyes widened in despair as his vision filled entirely with descending talons.

The ground trembled violently as dust plumed outward, stone fragments scattering in all directions.

When the dust cleared, blown aside by draconic wings, it revealed a craterous depression.

Garoth shook himself free of debris and leaped from the pit.

Embedded within the fractured bedrock lay a pulverized mass indistinguishable as human or any specific race, thoroughly merged with the soil.

Only now

Did the remaining adventurers fully process the assault, their nerves taut as they stared at the red iron dragonling whose scales gleamed like forged steel.

This juvenile's attack had been too swift, too violent - completely beyond their expectations, instantly eliminating their team's spellcaster.

Moreover, upon reflection

His initial feint toward the warrior had been pure misdirection. His true target had been crystal clear from the start - the party's spellcasting core, eliminated in one decisive strike.

Spellcasters lacked frontline combat prowess compared to warriors.

But their strategic value was paramount, as Samantha's earlier frustrations had proven.

Meanwhile, the golden-haired warrior rose from his pointless dodge, his expression grave.

He tilted his head slightly, taking a deep breath as the mana crystal embedded in his breastplate flared to life, all surrounding runes igniting.

Enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and defense flooded his being.

The cost being one precious mana crystal.

"Die, wyrm!"

The warrior bellowed, hefting his massive sword as he charged Garoth.

Garoth's muscles coiled as he grinned at the warrior, then shattered the ground beneath him - dodging an alchemical bolt mid-leap as he pounced toward the white-robed priest.

Team fight rules:

First kill the mage, then the healer.

As for this brave warrior?

Let him live a little longer. Save him for last.