Starting out as a Dragon Slave-Chapter 80: Battling a Dragon

The dragon’s gaze hardened suddenly, taking on the color of cold steel.Isaac barely had time to raise his blade in front of him before the dragon’s assault resumed—brutal, faster, and more lethal than before. The dragon warrior had clearly stopped playing. He had shifted from a curious predator to a determined executioner.His black sword slashed through the air, leaving a trail of dark mana in its wake, a pressure so intense that Isaac felt his muscles tremble under the impact. He managed to activate intangibility just in time, the deadly blade slicing through his ribcage without harm, though the residual force sent him flying backward.Isaac rolled across the ground, gasping, sharp pain burning his lungs as he struggled to catch his breath.The dragon studied his sword for a moment, frowning."Interesting," he muttered coldly in his guttural dialect, which only Isaac understood. "Such mastery of this skill... I wonder how long you can keep it up."Without waiting for an answer, he swooped down on Isaac again. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Isaac activated [Flight] at its maximum to dodge the first strike, but the second came almost immediately. The dragon warrior seemed to read his every move before he even made it.The group stood frozen, awestruck by the colossal power displayed before their eyes."We have to help him!" Jonah shouted, readying his rifle and trying to aim, but the two combatants were moving far too quickly for him to get a clear shot."It’s impossible to fire without hitting him," Roland yelled, raising shields around the group, anticipating collateral damage.The dragon spun on himself, his blade whistling through the air in movements of lethal fluidity. Isaac dove, rolled, dodged, and activated his skills in quick succession, juggling dangerously with his mana, squeezing every bit of power just to stay alive."[EarthQuake]!" he bellowed, slamming his foot down to destabilize the dragon.The ground fractured beneath them, but the dragon warrior, far from falling, almost seemed to enjoy it, using the rupture to spring even faster toward him.The dragon suddenly raised his free hand, and a black-violet orb of mana formed in an instant, pulsing ominously."What the...?" Isaac stammered, stunned.The mana orb shot straight at him with blinding speed. Isaac reflexively activated [Intangibility], but to his horror, the dragon’s energy still partially penetrated his intangible form, scorching his skin, tearing his flesh, and forcing a scream of agony from him. The dragonic mana, raw and overwhelming, was unfazed by his human abilities.The dragon smiled, revealing his fangs in a cold sneer."Did you really think you were immune to me? You’re just a human playing with powers you can’t even comprehend."Isaac hit the ground heavily, one shoulder smoldering, his face contorted in pain. His mana reserves were dangerously low, almost drained from the constant use of his skills.He raised his eyes slowly to his opponent, his breath ragged, his expression twisted with anguish.The dragon twirled his sword between his fingers, his gaze merciless and unyielding."This charade has gone on long enough, human. I don’t know how you possess these powers, but it makes no difference. Your fate is to die here. I’ll personally ensure that your death is so excruciating that even your soul will tremble at my memory."Isaac felt a cold, searing rage rise within him. He thought of Akane, the impaled slaves, the humiliations he’d endured, and Naël, dead without any chance to fight back. An unyielding determination gave him a fleeting surge of energy.The dragon approached slowly, a cold smile on his lips.

— You’re different from the others, human. But it doesn’t matter. You’ll die like them—alone, in pain, and forgotten.Isaac spat blood onto the ground, then slowly raised his head, his eyes blazing with an incandescent orange light.— I won’t die, he whispered coldly, his gaze fixed on the dragon. Not until I’ve wiped you all out.The warrior froze, his eyes widening in astonishment.— You... understand what I’m saying? he asked, stepping back half a pace, genuinely surprised for the first time.Isaac allowed himself a thin smile—a predator’s smile, icy, filled with deep-seated hatred.— Every word. Every syllable. And I’ll promise you one thing: your kind will regret every second spent in my world.The dragon warrior furrowed his brow, deeply unsettled, losing his previously detached demeanor. He shifted into a defensive stance, his expression wary, almost nervous.— How... is this possible? he muttered in his tongue, his eyes fixed on Isaac. You’re just a human. How can you understand our sacred language?The dragon smirked coldly, raising his blade one last time, ready to end the fight.— That’s not for you to decide, dragon.Isaac, summoning every ounce of willpower, lifted his trembling katana. All his remaining mana concentrated into his draconic hand, glowing with an intense blue radiance that defiantly clashed with the dragon’s dark power.The next blow would be fatal.But just before the dragon struck, a scream echoed from behind.— NOW! Jonah yelled.The dragon warrior turned slightly, startled. Jonah had finished charging his experimental weapon, unleashing a full-power energy blast directly at the creature.The dragon reacted instantly, pivoting and raising an open palm to conjure a mana wall. Jonah’s blast collided with the barrier, shattering into a violent explosion and granting Isaac a momentary reprieve.Seizing those precious seconds, Sanae screamed as she cast her healing magic, enveloping Isaac’s battered body in regenerative energy.— Isaac! Get up! she shouted frantically. We can’t defeat him without you!The dragon warrior dispersed the smoke, lowering his hand slowly. His gaze burned with cold fury.— Insects that simply refuse to die... he muttered irritably.

Isaac, feeling his wounds slowly mend, rose unsteadily to his feet. His gaze locked on the dragon, and a newfound determination lit his face.One thing was now certain: this dragon embodied everything he had to fight. Everything he had to destroy to protect his people, both here and elsewhere.He tightened his grip on his katana, his hand steady and firm once again, and fixed his smoldering, ice-cold glare on his adversary.— Come, dragon. Let’s see which one of us truly refuses to die today.The dragon, taken aback by the human’s resilience, raised an eyebrow, almost impressed.— You’ve chosen the painful path.He advanced slowly, methodically, dark mana radiating from every step.Isaac shifted into his stance, prepared for anything.The battle resumed with a ferocity more brutal than before.Every blow exchanged, every missed dodge, every wound taken fueled a dark, cold, and relentless rage within Isaac. Each movement of the dragon warrior reminded him of the cold violence of the slavers, Belgaroth’s arrogance, and the mocking laughter of dragons who crushed humans underfoot. Every time Isaac looked at this warrior, he saw the impaled slaves, Akane’s scarred back, and Mordred’s daily humiliations.This anger was no longer just an emotion—it was tangible. Physical.The mana core swirling in his chest began vibrating at an unprecedented frequency. The orange light within pulsed violently, sending visible flares through his pupils and turning them into burning embers.Isaac evaded a blow by soaring through the air with his mana-forged wings. But this time, the dragon warrior tracked his every movement effortlessly, cutting off his attempts to reposition.Isaac clenched his teeth as his anger surged even higher.— Pathetic, the dragon growled, striking him again and sending him crashing into a rocky wall. You humans... always clinging to a useless hope.Isaac painfully pushed himself upright, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth. But he no longer felt any pain—only the searing fury that now consumed his entire being. The heat was so intense that the air around him started to ripple.He took a heavy step forward, channeling every last bit of his mana, the core in his chest whirling fiercely, fed by his ever-mounting rage. Each heartbeat sent tremors through the air.— Your kind made the mistake of challenging me on two fronts. Today, your arrogance will bring about your downfall.Isaac’s anger continued to rise, fueled by every memory of torture, every humiliation Mordred had endured, and every injury inflicted on Akane. As his fury peaked, he felt a new power erupting from within.

The dragon warrior involuntarily stepped back under the sudden wave of power.— This energy... he muttered, a mixture of awe and horrified admiration in his voice.Isaac raised his katana toward the sky, the blade trembling with mana, encased in an orange aura as sharp as it was searing.— Now I understand... he breathed, almost to himself. This power... it’s my hatred for all of you. It’s my refusal to die here. And I’ll make you pay for every atrocity you’ve committed.The dragon roared, charging toward him at full speed. But this time, Isaac saw the attack clearly, his perception accelerated to the point that the dragon’s movements seemed slowed.With a sidestep so swift it seemed he vanished from the dragon’s sight, he dodged effortlessly.— Narukami... he murmured coldly.The dragon spun, attempting to block, but Isaac slipped past with ease, slicing deep into his flank. The warrior let out a roar of pain and mingled fury, retreating for the first time since the fight began.Isaac straightened slowly, his bloodstained katana pointed at the dragon, a merciless determination blazing in his now fully orange eyes.The dragon clutched at his wound, staring at Isaac with a mix of fear and hatred.— You... You’re not human... he stammered, his voice trembling. What are you really?Isaac took another step forward, his fiery aura blazing around him.— I’m just a human your kind took everything from. And I’m the one who will take it all back.The dragon warrior, despite his severe injury, returned to an offensive stance. His predator’s instinct, his fighter’s resolve, reignited.— Then come, human, he said as he straightened up, paying little heed to the blood streaming over his scaly skin. Show me how far your hatred can take you.Isaac’s cold smile deepened, his burning pupils glowing brighter still.— With pleasure.