Magic Is Learned For Nothing [EN]: Chapter 266

The Advent of the Bone Dragon 2

Duke Trebia and his party moved to a nearby spire to observe the Bone Dragon’s descent.

The spire served a dual purpose: guarding against enemy invasions and providing a vantage point to monitor the castle’s interior.

Normally, four soldiers were stationed there, each watching one of the cardinal directions: east, west, south, and north.

The soldiers were dispatched without a fight, falling silently at Duke Trebia’s feet. Smith, with a casual air, grabbed them by their necks and tossed them over the spire’s edge.

Under normal circumstances, such an act would have caused an uproar, but now, amidst the chaos, no one paid any attention.

Citizens were scrambling, a tangled mess of bodies as they fled in terror.

People trampled over one another in their desperate escape.

Knights, united in purpose, charged towards the Bone Dragon, launching attacks with all their might.

Their movements were coordinated, suggesting rigorous training.

However, none could penetrate the Bone Dragon’s protective shield. The Bone Dragon moved with surprising agility, its tail swinging with deadly force.

Anyone caught by the Bone Dragon’s claws was torn apart, meeting an instant and gruesome death.

Barely twenty minutes after the Bone Dragon’s arrival, the number of souls claimed had already reached the thousands. The situation was overwhelmingly dire.

“Terrifying.”

The immortal Berserker Reeves spoke, sensing the immense murderous intent radiating from the Bone Dragon.

“It is terrifying,” Duke Trebia agreed with a nod. He continued, “Fortunately, the Bone Dragon cannot wield magic. However, its life force is far greater than when it was alive. As an undead creature, its stamina is virtually limitless.”

Duke Trebia watched the battle unfold, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

“The magic shield embedded in its bones is nothing special, really. They will soon realize that the moment it breaks, their holy city will fall.”

“Why? Isn’t the magic shield helping them hold out?”

“Not at all. That magic shield is actually suppressing some of the Bone Dragon’s power. If that power were unleashed, the dragon’s life force would become truly berserk. Moreover, the shield’s greatest strength lies in the hope it provides. It fuels their endurance. They believe they can win if they break it. But the true horror of the Bone Dragon will only begin then. The Bone Dragon, using its full power and unimaginable defense, will plunge these humans into despair.”

“There will be a massacre.”

“Yes, a massacre. The Bone Dragon possesses absolute resistance to both magic and physical attacks. No matter how many charge at it, they won’t be able to inflict even a scratch.”

“Can we defeat the Bone Dragon?”

“Of course.”

Duke Trebia chuckled.

“No matter how strong the Bone Dragon is, it’s still undead. It can only utilize about 70% of the original dragon’s abilities. We captured a living dragon, so it doesn’t make sense that we can’t defeat a Bone Dragon made from its bones.”

“Hmph, that’s true.”

Reeves nodded.

“Boss! Boss!”

Berrimore called out to Duke Trebia, raising her hand.

Duke Trebia frowned slightly. He had asked her not to call him ‘Your Excellency,’ but she persisted. When he told her not to do that either, she claimed it was too catchy and difficult to change.

*Well, even the head of the temple couldn’t curb her antics, so what could he do?*

“What is it?”

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“There might be people here with skills like ours. Couldn’t they defeat the Bone Dragon?”

“There could be.”

“Then we’ll lose the precious Bone Dragon that we put so much effort into creating.”

“Don’t underestimate the Bone Dragon. Even if someone possesses my skills, the Bone Dragon won’t be easily defeated. As I said, it has far greater stamina and defense than the original dragon. You’d have to beat on it for at least half a day to defeat it.”

“Half a day…”

“Imagine the Bone Dragon rampaging through the holy city for half a day.”

“It’ll be devastated.”

“That’s right. Watch. Soon, the royals and nobles will all flee, creating a long line of refugees. The administration will be paralyzed. Then we can contact the advance team waiting at the border.”

“Finally, the unification war.”

“We’ll absorb this territory and gain the power to compete with the Empire. This kingdom will be the first sacrifice in our nation’s rise to power.”

“That sounds like fun. Hehehe, so those stuck-up bastards will finally kneel before us.”

Berrimore laughed, supporting the back of her head with both hands.

She suddenly had a question.

*But… what happens if a monster of 7-star or higher exists here?*

She immediately shook her head.

A 7-star or higher monster would be equivalent to a Grand Master [a master of martial arts or magic].

There was only one Grand Master in Neck Housed as well.

It was highly improbable that such a powerful being would reside in this shabby kingdom.

Duke Trebia seemed to overestimate this country, but Berrimore considered it nothing more than a shopping paradise.

*They’re just playing around and eating, so other kingdoms are eyeing them.*

“Let’s watch. The great Baroque Kingdom will fall from this point on.”

* * *

Sarah Connor and Raiden, riding their horses at full speed, couldn’t hide their astonishment.

“W-What is that?” Sarah Connor exclaimed, staring at the colossal Bone Dragon before them.

It was a cry of pure shock. The tallest buildings barely reached the Bone Dragon’s waist.

She had never encountered such a massive monster. The largest race on the continent was the giant race, with individuals reaching about 8 meters in height.

But this creature was at least 30 meters tall. It was so immense that humans seemed insignificant. The Bone Dragon showed no mercy, indiscriminately massacring humans.

A young mother clutching her child.

A young father shielding his wife and child.

The Bone Dragon trampled them all, without regard for innocence or guilt.

*Kukukung!*

*Kukukukukukung!*

Magic attacks rained down, exploding incessantly around the Bone Dragon. However, a transparent barrier rendered the wizards’ spells utterly useless.

The wizards’ faces paled.

They couldn’t conceive of any way to breach that formidable barrier.

Magic and Mana Blades [weapons infused with magical energy] proved ineffective.

Knights risked their lives, engaging in close combat, attempting to inflict physical damage.

But so far, no knight had managed to land a solid blow. When the Bone Dragon flapped its bone wings, the knights were sent flying dozens of meters, along with their horses.

Most died instantly.

Even those who barely survived suffered severe injuries to their arms, legs, or waists, rendering them immobile. They screamed in agony, but no priests appeared to offer healing.

They, too, had joined the throngs of refugees fleeing the Bone Dragon. Knights who could have been saved with a single healing spell were dying helplessly.

Now, Sarah Connor and Raiden were racing towards the Bone Dragon, weaving through the fleeing masses. They couldn’t stop because Drazzer and Shuttle were relentlessly pursuing them. The pursuers didn’t even flinch at the sight of the Bone Dragon and continued their chase.

“Let’s break through!” Raiden yelled.

“Break through?” Sarah Connor asked, horrified.

No matter how courageous she was, she couldn’t imagine passing beneath the feet of such a monstrous Bone Dragon.

The saying, ‘Even a graze means death,’ seemed tailor-made for this situation.

“Do we have any other choice?”

“…….”

The problem was that they didn’t.

The Bone Dragon was terrifying, and the group chasing them was relentless.

She weighed the Bone Dragon and the Legion group in her mind.

If they avoided the Bone Dragon, they might escape.

But if they couldn’t shake off their pursuers, they would be hunted to the end. If they could pass through the Bone Dragon’s legs, there was a good chance their pursuers would encounter the dragon.

Then there was a high probability that one of them would be killed by the dragon.

It would be even better if they were all caught and devoured.

Sarah Connor made her decision.

“Okay! Let’s go.”

“Are you sure?” Raiden shouted. They were riding so fast that they had to raise their voices to be heard.

Sarah Connor nodded.

“Okay. I’ll take the lead! Follow me closely!”

Raiden’s horse surged forward. Sarah Connor followed close behind.

*Dududududu-*

They spurred their horses to greater speed.

The Bone Dragon was rampaging wildly.

Numerous knights and wizards were attacking it with all their might. At first glance, it looked like a fierce battle, but it was a one-sided slaughter.

The Bone Dragon was systematically crushing the knights and wizards. As time passed, their numbers dwindled rapidly.

Fortunately, the Bone Dragon’s attention was focused elsewhere.

“Now! I’ll increase the speed!” Raiden shouted.

The Bone Dragon was swatting at wizards who were using fly magic to attack from above. Dozens of wizards plummeted to the ground, becoming bloody messes. Their weak defenses offered no protection against the dragon’s attacks.

Even knights wouldn’t have survived a direct hit.

Thanks to the wizards’ sacrifice, the Bone Dragon’s legs were spread apart.

The Bone Dragon’s gaze remained fixed on the wizards who were using close-range magic attacks.

*Dududududu-*

Raiden and Sarah Connor raced between the Bone Dragon’s legs.

“Ugh.”

Sarah Connor fought back the urge to vomit.

Near the Bone Dragon, there was an unimaginable pile of corpses.

These were citizens who had been caught in the battle and killed in the early stages of the attack.

The number of corpses was so vast that it was impossible to count them.

“We’re here! We’ve passed the Bone Dragon!” Raiden shouted.

Sarah Connor’s expression brightened slightly.

But!

They had overlooked something.

The Bone Dragon’s tail swung with tremendous force, striking their horses.

Surprised, Raiden quickly jumped off his horse, grabbed Sarah Connor’s arm, and pulled her to safety.

*Peopeopeopeopeong!*

The horses, struck by the Bone Dragon’s tail, exploded in mid-air, shattering into pieces.

Raiden, who had rolled on the ground, watched the scene with despair. If they had been just a moment slower, they would have shared the same fate.

The biggest problem was that they were still within the Bone Dragon’s attack range.

* * *

Legion continued to run hard.

After the breath pierced the sky, a huge amount of rain was falling.

The weather was already humid.

The rain was refreshing for Legion, who was sweating profusely from running.

The rival ant was swept away by the pouring rain and drifted far behind.

Legion, panting for breath while taking a break, made eye contact with someone.

A man who was barely 160 centimeters [approximately 5’3″] tall.

He was wearing black armor like himself, obscuring his face.

Next to him stood a slender man who was comparable in height to the armored man.

It was Don Quixote and Jack Nicer.

Legion, upon making eye contact, felt a strong connection with them.

*What should I say.*

Legion felt a pang of sympathy for Don Quixote. He didn’t know why, but he sensed the presence of the Spirit King of Curse clinging to him.

Legion resumed walking.

He had a long way to go.

The two people in black armor were known to almost everyone in the kingdom.

But in fact, Don Quixote and Legion did not recognize each other.

All they felt was the individual judgment that ‘That bastard has a more unfortunate aura than me.’