Chapter: 121
“Well, waiting beyond this door is a sloppy dragon.”
A dragon.
It’s more accurate to call it a phenomenon rather than a living being.
Who would consider a creature capable of single-handedly annihilating a nation as mere biology?
It was a phenomenon, a disaster, in the same realm as a storm, earthquake, or tsunami.
That’s why various countries made a non-dragon pact centering around the Jushin Church.
Are you telling me such a being is waiting beyond this door?
The word “lie” briefly flashed through Phoebe’s mind, but it quickly faded away.
Among all the things Lucy had said until now, countless seemed like lies, yet none were falsehoods.
It should be the same this time.
“Technically, it’s a sloppy piece of crap dragon created by sealing the dragon’s soul inside a golem’s body. It’s shoddy trash compared to a real dragon, but still, it’s strong enough to be called a dragon.”
As the original dragon is considered a disaster, any weakened version is bound to be strong, too.
Just look at how Lucy admits it’s strong, despite mixing in vulgar terms like “shoddy” and “piece of crap.”
For those who were merely first-year students at the academy, it would certainly be a tough opponent.
Phoebe swallowed hard, imagining the dragon beyond the door.
“It won’t be easy to strategize against it the normal way. I’m fine, but the shoddy swordsman who’s weak and the shoddy saintess who’s clueless are with me.”
“Just get to the point.”
Was it because of being called weak that she got angry?
Frey, who was quietly listening from behind, spoke in a sharp voice.
It was a tone that could make anyone shiver, but Lucy simply chuckled as if it were nothing.
“If you think about it, this is kind of like some creepy necromancy, right? By now, even a stupid shoddy saintess should get it, right?”
“Purification.”
The moment Phoebe heard the mention of necromancy, she understood Lucy’s intent.
Even though it had the body of a golem, it was still a dragon, making it hard to face.
Then, we simply need to deal with the golem.
We don’t need to defeat the golem. If we can cast out the dragon’s soul residing within, the golem will collapse on its own.
“Of course, it won’t be easy to purify a dragon’s soul, even it’s a piece of crap dragon slain by humans. Most self-proclaimed priests wouldn’t even dare to try! But here we have a shoddy saintess, right?”
Purifying a dragon’s original soul.
That was something even dozens or hundreds of ordinary priests couldn’t accomplish.
Dragons live for hundreds of years at the very least.
In that time, they unleash numerous disasters onto the world.
How could the original soul of such a being be light?
It’s said that to purify a dragon that had risen from death, three bishops had to collaborate, so even if this dragon beyond the door is weak, it would still require a bishop-level priest to stand here.
Normally, it would be impossible for a first-year student at the academy to possess such divine power.
No matter how talented they are, if they lack time to develop, it’s no use.
However, what stands here now is a saintess.
The symbol of the current Jushin Church, the saintess who had performed countless miracles across various places.
Regardless of her youth and inability to use her powers perfectly, the divinity within her would not be gone.
The divinity she possessed was more than enough to purify a dragon’s original soul.
“Let’s take the easy route. Do you have any idea how hard the shoddy professors at the academy have had it?”
Lucy chuckled — her plan seemed perfect.
Just like always.
Inside the dungeon, Lucy always had a plan.
When passing through the dungeon’s levels.
When facing the bosses guarding the doors every ten floors.
As if the divine guided them on how to strategize to conquer this dungeon.
Then.
What if.
If Lucy is indeed the Apostle of Armadi, as told by the Apostle of the Evil God,
Wouldn’t every plan she spills from her mouth be the ones granted by Armadi?
Does my name also lie within those plans?
Does Armadi trust me despite my dealings with the Apostle of the Evil God?
Does she believe that her lamb will return to the right path, despite being lost?
I’m sorry, Armadi.
I’m not sure of myself.
This foolish lamb, overcome by her shaky heart, has succumbed to the temptations of the Evil God and might not meet your expectations.
“Shoddy saintess?”
Called by that voice, Phoebe lifted her head and met Lucy Allen’s gaze.
The eyes staring at her were full of certainty.
“Can you do it?”
By the way Lucy looked at her, as if asking if this were something she couldn’t accomplish, Phoebe stared blankly.
Could she do it?
Of course, Phoebe had attempted the Prayer of Purification countless times.
As a saint, she had traveled to numerous places.
Most were places of misfortune rather than happiness.
And at those locations, there were far more sounds of weeping than laughter.
So, offering peace was something she had to do whenever she arrived at a new place.
However, Phoebe had never purified a soul of such high caliber before.
This task was typically taken on by bishops or popes, and Phoebe had only ever watched from behind.
If it had been before entering the academy, she would have no doubt claimed she could do it with confidence.
If Armadi sent me here, it means she entrusted me with this task.
Phoebe would have believed in Armadi and clasped her hands together.
But now, things were different.
Now, she doubted whether she was loved by Armadi.
Having dealt with the Apostle of the Evil God, darkness now resided within her heart.
Phoebe found it impossible to casually utter words of confidence.
“Can’t do it?”
However, with Lucy’s next words, Phoebe found herself shaking her head unknowingly.
“No. It’s okay.”
With Lucy’s provocation, crimson filled her cheeks, and she acted emotionally.
Realizing her mistake late, Phoebe attempted to correct herself, but it was already too late.
“Then let’s go. Shoddy swordsman, you just stay back and protect the shoddy saintess. Don’t move unnecessarily or you’ll be a hindrance. Shoddy saintess, prepare the Prayer of Purification right after we enter. Once you’re ready, use it immediately.”
Lucy glanced around once and pushed open the enormous door leading to the Boss Room without hesitation.
– KuoOoOo!
Right away, a colossal reverberation that rattled eardrums erupted along with the wind from the door’s gap.
What was contained in the sound was resentment, wrath, and hatred.
Can I truly do it?
Can I embrace what’s contained in that voice?
Armadi.
Please answer me.
Grant an answer to this inadequate lamb.
*
It’s really incredibly noisy.
It feels like my eardrums are going to burst.
I think even when I heard sounds from giant speakers in the movie theater, it was quieter than this.
Is this just how dragons are?
As I crossed through the door, the door behind me closed, and the Boss Room was engulfed in darkness.
Before long, I heard a wind sound from above, and as something stepped down upon the ground, the Boss Room was illuminated with the gentle light of dawn.
– KuoOoOoOo!
Finally, I could take in the sight of the opponent.
In the center of the Boss Room, standing atop a rock, was a dragon.
With a body crafted from rock, containing a dragon that had been hunted by humans and has been toyed with by humans thus far.
Wow, it’s been a while.
I hardly tackled the dungeon bosses in the first semester because the rewards were ridiculously low compared to the effort.
I think this might be the first time meeting it since I cleared all bosses in a challenge format.
But it’s fine.
I completely memorized how to hunt this guy.
Moreover, we have the cheat key of the saintess.
Unless my luck runs out at this point, there’s no way the saintess couldn’t join as a party member.
The depth of your resentment doesn’t matter.
Because you can’t do anything but get purified.
Huh? You piece of crap.
Just die quietly and offer us some rewards.
Seeing Phoebe join her hands to start the Prayer of Purification, I opened my mouth towards the dragon.
“Hey, you shoddy piece of crap lizard! How’s it feel being treated like a toy by humans after being slaughtered by them? Huh? How does it feel to be insulted by a girl like this?!”
The dragon’s red eyes captured me, and a surge of ecstasy washed over my body.
The provocation hooked perfectly, meaning Phoebe wouldn’t be threatened anymore.
I just needed to hold out until Phoebe starts the purification.
That would be easy.
The reason that dragon in the early stage is difficult is that it flies high in the sky.
That guy, sly and petty as it is, hardly ever comes down from above.
To drop it, I would have to unleash a barrage of ranged attacks, but those aren’t abundant in the early stage.
So hunting that guy usually becomes a maddening chore.
But now, it’s different.
Once Phoebe purifies the dragon’s soul, everything will be resolved.
Just hold out until then?
That’s a piece of cake.
“Oh right! You can’t talk since you don’t have a brain! Sorry! I forgot you’re shoddy, piece of crap, idiot, lizard! Hahaha!”
No sooner had the provocation left my mouth than the dragon let out a roar, spreading its wings and soaring towards the heights of the cavern.
Thinking back, the professors who made this place are pretty malicious, aren’t they?
Making students face a dragon while leaving its greatest advantage: the sky, untouched.
It hardly matters if you’re a veteran.
The dragon’s patterns split into two.
Flying while spewing breath.
Wasting magic using dragon tongue.
Though there’s a pattern for when it takes significant damage and falls to the ground, that’s of no concern to us.
That guy will stay floating above, then just crash.
Okay, what’s first?
Holding my shield up, I stared at the dragon as it opened its mouth, then sprinted forward.
Moments later, the spot I had just occupied was set ablaze by the dragon’s breath, and flames turned everything on the ground to ash, pursuing me along my running path.
This pattern is simple.
I just need to run recklessly.
There’s a time limit on the flames on the ground, so if I misjudge my running route, I’d be crisply grilled, but that doesn’t concern me.
After all, I’m a veteran gamer.
I’m familiar enough with the escape route to run with my eyes closed.
Even when I dodged this pattern with a level 1 bald character before, there’s no way I can’t do it now with my stamina and speed.
As I ran fiercely, the cavern turned to a sea of flames, and the dragon finally ceased its fire, heading towards the center of the cavern.
Then it spread its wings again and opened its mouth once more.
The second pattern.
A magic barrage.
This pattern varies the type of magic used based on health, but since it’s at full health now, three types will be used.
Lightning.
Spears of earth.
Summoning of souls.
As for how to respond to them…
[Seems like the
While I was pondering how to counter the magic, Grandpa spoke up.
Has he already completed the preparations?
Wow, so reliable, just as expected from the saintess.
Bringing me all the way to the 100th floor paid off, huh.
While I was waiting for the dragon hovering in the sky to naturally turn into a simple statue, regrettably, my wait went unfulfilled.
Because the dragon began unleashing its magic.
I dodged the spear sprouting from the ground by rolling away and turned my gaze back to Phoebe.
Phoebe’s eyes, looking down at the ground, were lost.
…Could it be that she failed the prayer?
Phoebe?
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