Koko wa Ore ni Makasete Saki ni Ike to Itte kara 10 Nen ga Tattara Densetsu ni Natteita

I quickly raised a magic barrier in order to protect Eric and Goran.

—CRRRRAAA—

The magic barrier seemed to scream hideously under the pressure.

That's how strong the breath was.

Even the vampires were being blown away.

It was rather ridiculous that they had cast Charm on Kathe, only to be killed right away.

It was just as I was thinking this.

"GAAAHHHH!"

Kathe's giant body flew from behind us and crashed heavily into the wall.

Even someone as big as Kathe was still affected by the breath.

Wait a minute. If Kathe was blown away too, that means someone else must have unleashed it.

"You two continue to watch for the vampires!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

"Leave it to us!"

I called to Eric and Goran before spinning around.

There was a dragon there that was even bigger than Kathe. An Evil Dragon.

Its color was gray and it had three wings and three eyes.

Its violent breath was still continuing.

Maybe it had no intention of stopping until we were all dead.

So it was a matter of what would last longer, my magic barrier or its breath.

I didn't think that I would lose.

"GAAAHHH!!"

But Kathe was screaming near the wall.

She looked completely fine, but I guess pain was still pain.

I felt a little sorry for her.

I left Eric and Goran by the magic barrier and got closer to the Evil Dragon.

It was rather difficult, as I had to go against the blast of wind.

It required that I create a magic barrier in front of me that moved forward as I ran behind it.

When I was close enough to the dragon, I jumped into the air so that our eyes met.

Being closer to the face meant taking the worst of the blast.

-CRRRRRR.

The barrier creaked. I had never heard it make such a noise before.

-RRRRKK

A piece of the barrier shattered. I panicked a little.

Was the barrier protecting Eric and Goran still alright?

I swung the Devil King Sword down towards the Evil Dragon's neck.

But the dragon twisted its head out of the way. My blade chased after it.

"GYAAA!!"

"Tsk. Not deep enough."

I only cut through a little skin and flesh on the neck, without reaching the bones.

However, this stopped the wind breath.

Just then.

"Hah!"

"GYAAA…"

Goran's sword slashed into the Evil Dragon's left leg, severing it at the thigh.

The dragon immediately lost its balance.

"HAAAA!!"

In the same instant, Eric's sword took off the dragon's right arm.

Then he swung his sword a second time, finally taking off its head.

There was a loud crash as the body collapsed on the ground.

"What about the vampires?"

"They were killed in the wind breath."

It had been incredibly powerful.

Even a Vampire High Lord would have died.

"I see. So that means the Vampire High Lords here were not exactly controlling the Evil Dragon."

"We'll have to find out more about their relationship!"

Goran said as he swung his sword around.

The dragon's blood flew from the blade and splattered on the ground.

On the other hand, Eric pulled out some paper and carefully wiped his sword clean.

Then he threw it on the ground.

"You two are as skilled with the sword as ever."

I hadn't been able to behead the dragon.

But Eric and Goran had cut through it with precision.

Eric smiled a little sheepishly.

"It was hardly a threat outside of that breath. It's more impressive to me that you charged straight into it."

Goran laughed.

"I was able to cut it because you stopped the wind breath for us."

"The dragon would have regained its posture if I was alone. You two really helped me."

As the three of us talked like this, Kathe wobbled up towards us.

"Locke! How horrible of you!"

"What?"

"You protected Eric and Goran with a magic barrier. But not me!"

"Ah…"

I had thought that it was Kathe who had unleashed the wind breath.

Besides, she was very big.

It wasn't impossible, but it would have been quite difficult to make a barrier of that size.

"Don't you think this is favoritism?"

"That's not what it is."

"It really hurt! It is so not fair!"

"…Sorry."

"You must be more careful from now on!"

Kathe was fuming.

Then she looked down at the scraps of paper at Eric's feet.

"Hey, Eric!"

"Wh-what is it?"

"My house is not a trash can!"

"S-sorry."

Eric quickly picked up the pieces of paper.

"And you too, Goran!"

"Uh, alright, I see how swinging my sword made a blood splatter. But look over there."

A fountain of blood was spraying out of the Evil Dragon's wounds.

"…It's going to be hard to clean this up."

Kathe looked very annoyed.

"In any case, how come you didn't notice it, Kathe?"

"Notice what?"

"The Evil Dragon's attack."

Had Kathe noticed it, we wouldn't have been attacked by the wind breath from the back.

Goran nodded.

"Exactly. Weren't you supposed to be watching our backs?"

"Well, wait one second, Goran. I'm sure Kathe has a good reason. Don't you?"

Eric said gently to Kathe.

"…I'm sorry. I was watching you all fight the vampires and…"

"Oh, you were transfixed."

"I'm very sorry."

Kathe really wasn't used to fighting.