Bear School Astartes

Lann and Wende protected the two people at the scene with the least fighting ability.

Meanwhile, Aiden and Little Jack each had their own ways of dealing with the situation.

Aiden’s gear today included a hand-and-a-half sword, a small shield, and a ’small sword’ that most people would struggle to lift.

Although its protective area and defense weren’t large, under his skilled techniques, the most threatening falling rocks were blocked by the shield, while the remaining debris was absorbed by the armor.

As for Little Jack, it was simpler. His great sword was hunter standard size, its blade as wide as his waist, acting like a large shield in front.

They returned once again to the back of the Molten Mountain Dragon, similar to when Lann first arrived.

The dark ground sporadically emitted an orange-red glow from cracks, with smoke rising, covering everything so completely that day and night were indistinguishable.

It was like a volcano about to erupt.

And the Extinct Dragon that had descended from the sky now stood in the pit it had created upon impact.

The orange-red lava glow shone upwards from the cracks beneath, casting shadows that highlighted the Extinct Dragon’s ferocity and violence.

”I say...”

Lann slowly drew out ”Torrent” from the Alchemy Pouch, as though afraid that too big a movement might provoke the Extinct Dragon.

”Something this fierce, you didn’t encounter it during the two months of tracking the Molten Mountain Dragon?”

The Demon Hunter cautiously walked to Wende’s side, grinning as he spat complaints to him.

Wende’s eyes dared not leave the Extinct Dragon for an instant.

This ancient dragon was unknown to any of them, and for hunters, an unknown monster equates to exponentially increased danger.

Experience is a vital component of hunters’ combat abilities, but facing an unknown monster, such ’experience’ essentially evaporates.

Moreover, the violent aura this ancient dragon exudes... clearly isn’t ordinary.

”I’ve never seen it before... I also don’t know why it suddenly appeared today!”

”Good, that’s really good news.”

Lann involuntarily ground his back teeth.

”Jack! Get those two out of here! Use the Molten Mountain Dragon’s back to retreat, we’ll hold it off!”

Lann, without a moment’s hesitation, immediately adjusted the plan based on the situation at hand.

At this time, Little Jack didn’t dawdle either. He straightforwardly slung the great sword to his back and then ran to Lann’s side.

He took over his grandfather and Aibo, helping them as they ran into the distance.

Gaffi, as Wende’s feline companion, adjusted his little cat helmet while meowing, ran on all fours to Wende’s side, and lifted his kitty pickaxe.

The three who stayed behind to fight slowly gathered together under the fierce gaze of the Extinct Dragon, blocking the road for Aibo and the others to leave.

”To be honest, this is my first time facing an ancient dragon.”

With the non-combat personnel leaving, Lann clearly felt more relaxed, speaking in a low voice.

Wende’s expression, however, was somewhat aggrieved.

”I’ve faced quite a few ancient dragons, but... damn it! I wish I still had my gear! This pile of stuff on hand leaves me feeling uneasy.”

”Don’t mind what’s already lost, meow! I’ll help you, meow!”

Gaffi’s consolation somewhat improved Wende’s sour expression.

As a hunter with secret weapon-tier status at the Hunter’s Guild, both Aiden and Lann trusted Wende’s words.

Meanwhile, on the Extinct Dragon’s side, a strange scene was unfolding.

Though from the hunters landing to Lann instructing Little Jack to evacuate was only about thirty seconds.

Yet judging by the Extinct Dragon’s temper, it should have charged forth immediately to start fighting.

But the reason it stayed in its impact crater for half a minute was... it was regenerating!

Regenerating at a rate that could only be described as mad!

Even with its physical strength, slamming down from hundreds of meters above didn’t stop many of the dense, fierce bone spikes from flying off.

The crunching sound of bone spikes compressing against each other during impact, then twisting and breaking, was enough to make one’s teeth ache.

Upon standing up post-impact, the Extinct Dragon’s left arm and wing’s outer skin hardly had any spikes left, just a layer of tough skin.

But after half a minute passed...

In the intense gaze of the three people, new bone spikes began quickly growing and thickening from beneath the skin at a speed akin to a video fast-forwarded a thousandfold!

Lann had thought that monsters able to regrow tails, muscles, and bones in a few weeks were already ridiculous enough.

Yet now this...

”No!” Lann licked his lips, his eyes a bit dazed as he asked the locals on either side, ”Are all ancient dragons like this?!”

Aiden’s expression was not much different from his.

And undoubtedly, Wende was the most knowledgeable among the three of them.

”Ancient dragons are generally considered to be magical creatures capable of controlling the natural energies of heaven and earth, even causing a transformative impact on the environment around their habitat in their daily existence. However, it seems there’s no change in weather or natural energy around this Extinct Dragon... I suppose it’s the type that expends all its energy on its physical body.”

”A hand-to-hand combat fanatic, huh?” Aiden summarized with a bit of teeth-chattering.

No matter what the ecology of the Extinct Dragon is, for now... it’s charging towards us!

”Roar!”

The quadrupedal structure with wings, while making the Extinct Dragon’s body specs similar to the Barbaric Jaws Dragon, also makes it much heavier.

Yet, despite its weight, it didn’t even use its wings. With just a leap from its two hind legs, it pounced towards the three!

Wende, holding a large shield, went forward instinctively without a second thought.

With a ”clang!” sound, a highly distinctive noise emanated from his large shield.

Shield Axe transformed into defense!

The Extinct Dragon’s exaggeratedly large horns crashed into the shield.

Even though Wende’s technique and timing were flawless, he was still pushed horizontally backward more than ten meters!

The headbutt attack was blocked, but the Extinct Dragon, with its quadrupedal and winged body, was far more agile than other monsters.

Like a kitten clawing at a ball of yarn, the Extinct Dragon’s hideous claws reached forward after lifting its head.

If a kitten did this, it would be adorable.

But in the case of the Extinct Dragon... its claws left marks a foot deep on the back of the Molten Mountain Dragon!

And such a clawing action couldn’t be blocked by a large shield that only defends against frontal attacks.

However, just then, a figure suddenly burst forth behind Wende’s shield, surrounded by a faint red aura, leaping into the sky!

Leaping seven or eight meters high, then crashing down with the small shield in hand!

With gravity and aura accumulating together, under Aiden’s precise control, it struck exactly on the Extinct Dragon’s wrist that was about to claw.

Perhaps due to the special equipment, the small shield emitted some hazy bluish-purple smoke upon impact, which the Extinct Dragon inhaled.

The Extinct Dragon’s clawing movement was halted halfway by Aiden.

Seizing the opportunity of its skewed movement, a tall figure dashed from the side.

The dark [Turbid Flow] was held at Lann’s waist. With a posture full of tension, it lunged toward the exposed chest of the Extinct Dragon like a spearing thrust.

The blade was enveloped in a faint red aura.

[Qi Blade Thrust].

This is a preliminary technique of the longsword art [Qi Blade Arc], though Lann hadn’t even activated a single stage of the Qi Blade yet.

But to quickly weaken the Extinct Dragon’s combat ability within a short time, he chose the most lethal stabbing attack as his attack strategy.

Just as Lann predicted, the Extinct Dragon’s tough skin likely had good defense against slashing attacks, but thrusts, being more concentrated, pierced deeper.

Even with [Turbid Flow]’s not-so-sharp blade, combined with the [Qi Blade Thrust] aura technique, and the velocity from [Accelerate], he successfully penetrated the Extinct Dragon’s clavicle, entering its body.

There’s a harvest!

With precise tactile sensation and solid biological knowledge, Lann distinctly felt during the blade’s advance that he had probably severed several of the Extinct Dragon’s important muscle bundles with his sword.

As well as three robust blood vessels with large blood flow and one small organ.

Beneath the clavicle in the chest, where organs are densely situated, [Turbid Flow]’s blade, used for thrusting, is indeed wide and long.

Inflicting significant organ damage is normal, which is exactly why Lann opted to use [Qi Blade Thrust] even without having gathered a single stage of Qi Blade.

Dealing such extensive organ damage in one go, Lann couldn’t help but feel relieved amidst the ancient dragon’s mystical prowess.

Even for an ancient dragon species, after sustaining such heavy injuries, its instant combat ability should be significantly compromised, but...

The thought of ”but” hadn’t fully crossed his mind when Lann found himself staring into the Extinct Dragon’s reptilian, yellow vertical pupils from bottom to top.

Combat desire, hunger, violence... these elements in its gaze were typical of the Extinct Dragon’s aura. Lann wasn’t surprised.

The only surprise was: a pinpoint killing intent!

Is it... coming for me?!

”Lann, watch out meow!”

Gaffi shouted anxiously.

Almost at the same moment Lann received this information, a shrill howling wind came from his side!