novelraw Chapter 78: Strike When the Time is Right
Chapter 78: Strike When the Time is Right
The moment the female wyvern landed, the surrounding air grew increasingly scorching. Chen Qi's palms began sweating. He had studied at least five strategies for Dragon's Roost before. But this was the first time he'd seen a female wyvern enter Berserk Mode immediately upon encounter.
In Berserk Mode, the female wyvern would use powerful skills like Wyvern Breath, Dragon Dive, and Bite more frequently. Normally, wyverns only entered brief berserk states right before leaving Dragon's Roost Island. A berserk female wyvern was at least twice as strong as normal.
The female wyvern inhaled surrounding air violently into its abdomen, then abruptly raised its head, spewing scalding flames from its throat. Wyvern Breath! This was the wyvern's most formidable move, and now enhanced by its berserk state! Only an exceptionally tough tank could withstand this attack.
"Deepsea Water Spirits, come forth." Chen Qi grabbed his Backpack Card. As water-attribute monsters hidden by the Deep Sea Hunters, their bodies could completely resist wyvern breath.
"Deepsea Water Spirits." Chen Qi looked at the opened Backpack Card and the spirits inside. They all had (=.=) expressions, completely unresponsive. They were still sleeping!
"Wake up already." Chen Qi forcefully pulled out all seven Deepsea Water Spirits from the Backpack Card and threw them forward like Poké Balls. "(O O)!" The water spirits' eyes bulged wide as they gathered together, forming a wall of bubbles.
The wyvern's breath blasted into them. "Waaahhh!" The water spirits trembled violently, screaming in pain. At this rate, they felt they'd become Boiled Water Spirits. The scalding flames gradually dissipated.
Nice job! Chen Qi crouched halfway, dodging the female wyvern's breath attack. After unleashing Wyvern Breath, the female wyvern needed at least one minute to recover due to overheating.
"Waaahhh," the seven pitiful Boiled Water Spirits sought comforting hugs from Chen Qi. Too hot... After briefly hugging them, Chen Qi took a sip from his canteen and surveyed the devastation. Thirteen people had suffered severe injuries from failed defenses. Five hunters had severe burns over their bodies, losing combat capability and urgently needing medical attention. Three cowardly hunters had fled the battlefield from fear.
"The situation doesn't look good." Why did it enter berserk mode now? Could it be the Aphrodisiac Powder from earlier? Chen Qi carefully observed the female wyvern before him, then looked behind.Boom! Boom! Boom! In the distance, after getting up, Little Red Riding Hood condensed blood spears and engaged the male wyvern. Their battle had moved to an invisible location. Without dragon blood, the Aphrodisiac Powder only had taunting effects on her—just as humans wouldn't be attracted to scantily clad animals. There must be another reason...
Chen Qi examined the female wyvern. Blood-red tears streamed from its eyes, each scale seeming to bear heavy burdens. Was it sick? Chen Qi instinctively wondered. In Dragon's Roost, there were indeed methods to help cure dragons and successfully complete the rift.
Just then, movement came from the rocks behind him. Balong, covered in blood, climbed down from the rocks, pulling a syringe from beneath his clothes and jamming it into his vein. "That hurt... nearly shattered my bones."
The crowd, terrified by the wyvern, stepped back while cursing. Balong's gaze turned icy as he ignored them, focusing on Chen Qi instead: "Friend, what kind of pet is that? It actually withstood a wyvern's attack."
"Water spirits." Chen Qi kneaded the water spirit like dough. Deepsea Water Spirits were several times stronger than ordinary ones, though nearly identical in appearance.
Balong spoke while gripping his greatsword, moving to the front: "Honestly, beast tamers are rare in Beiguo. This is my first time seeing water spirits, let alone seven at once."
Chen Qi grew warier of Balong. There were safer methods to defeat the wyvern. Yet Balong had dragged everyone into this dangerous fight against it.
"Friend, I simply want victory." Sensing their thoughts, Balong smiled: "Everyone, we must subdue this female wyvern before the Blood Blade Pirates' female pirate dies. Otherwise, we'll face two wyverns simultaneously."
The crowd shook their heads resentfully. Though furious at Balong's reckless initiation, they had no choice but to swallow their anger. Their only option now was joining Balong against the berserk female wyvern.
During the wyvern's cooldown, the hunters unleashed a torrent of attacks—guns, massive melee weapons raining down like a storm upon the wyvern's scales. Rat-tat-tat! Swords, bullets, and fists relentlessly pounded the wyvern's armor.
Chen Qi hid behind the wyvern, firing at its back with his pistol. At the cost of ten injured hunters, the combined firepower of fifty people finally made the wyvern feel pain. It flapped its wings, attempting to take flight for a Dragon Dive.
Balong seized the opportunity, roaring to his team: "Now's our chance! Move! Restrain it!" Instantly, the Red Crystal Hunters' seven other members produced thick black chains. They hurled them at the wyvern, entangling its legs, neck, and wings before slamming the chain ends into the ground, forcibly pinning it.
"Quite professional." Chen Qi examined the chains—a set of Scale Phase relics from a C-class rift capable of briefly suppressing large creatures. The Red Crystal Hunters chanted in unison as dark runes appeared along the chains. Boom! The wyvern was crushed by invisible gravity, its massive body sinking into the ground.
"Thorough preparations." Chen Qi observed Balong. What followed exceeded his expectations. After successfully restraining the wyvern, Balong produced an arm-thick green elixir from his backpack. Like a seasoned matador, he leaped onto the wyvern's head, clamping its skull between his legs.
Gritting his teeth, Balong leaned down, forcing the wyvern's jaws open with his muscular arms to administer the elixir. But the wyvern's razor-sharp teeth snapped down hard. Blood sprayed as the fangs tore through Balong's right arm.
"Done." At the last moment, Balong withdrew his hand—but not before successfully tossing the elixir into the wyvern's mouth! This specially procured elixir could force wyverns into deep sleep! Now they only needed to wait.
His triumph lasted less than a second. The wyvern broke free from the chains, scales quivering violently. "Ptooey!" It spat the green elixir directly into Balong's face.
"..." Balong wiped the green liquid away, frozen in place. "Failed." Chen Qi shook his head. Forcibly administering medicine could work—but at the critical moment, Balong had prioritized saving his hand over ensuring proper delivery. The elixir had landed on the tongue, not down the throat.
This colossal failure left the Red Crystal Hunters paralyzed with indecision. Their relic chains couldn't be reused. The wyvern shook its head, wings spreading as scalding flames reignited across its scales. Now it was the wyvern's turn.
As it regulated its breathing, preparing another Wyvern Breath, some hunters risked plummeting into lava by jumping off the platform. Of the original fifty-three, twenty had fled. Dragons remained dragons—even D-class rift wyverns weren't easily defeated by ordinary hunters.
The remaining hunters stared at their weapons. If they fled too, the entire team would collapse instantly. Their only hope now was Balong defeating the wyvern. "Heavy casualties... at this rate we'll become wyvern food." Chen Qi surveyed the scene. Many had lost their will to fight. Continuing like this, survival itself became questionable.
Fear, resentment, anger, helplessness, and sorrow spread like tidal waves. Balong's hair disheveled, frantically searched his Backpack Card. Though the attempt failed, Chen Qi noted the green elixir remained viable. If there was a second dose... As a chef, he had a method to properly administer it.
Balong produced a second green elixir from his card, clutching it weakly as he stared blankly at the wyvern, overwhelmed by helplessness. Even with another dose, he had no way to deliver it now. At this rate, total party kill was inevitable.
Chen Qi approached: "Balong." The once-arrogant hunter now looked as dejected as a stray dog: "What?" Chen Qi declared: "I have a way to get the elixir into the wyvern's stomach." The hunting party fell into brief silence. Normally, no one would trust a first-rank hunter's claim—but they had no alternatives now. Even this junior hunter's proposal caused a stir.
"Huh?" Balong blinked incredulously at Chen Qi. Normally in D-class rifts, first-rank hunters had no voice. But with the wyvern berserk and Little Red Riding Hood's battle potentially ending soon, they risked facing both wyverns simultaneously.
Ignoring their skeptical looks, Chen Qi continued: "Of course, there's a condition, Balong. If I help you defeat the wyvern, you must reveal your true purpose for coming here. What exactly happened to you in this place ten years ago?"
Balong's eye twitched, freezing instantly. As the most experienced hunter present, this upstart not only boasted wildly but dared probe his weakest spot.