I Was Reincarnated with OP Invincibility, so I’ll Beat ’em Up My Way as an Action-Adventurer

98. It’s Overflowing

“An earthquake…?”

At that moment, the ground in front of us suddenly exploded. A violent gust blew through, and countless clods of earth flew at us.

I immediately deployed a defensive skill and deflected them──.

“Kyahh…”

A scream rang out nearby.

“Wah, wha!?”

Luca, who had lost her balance in the gust, tumbled towards me.

I caught her instinctively, but I couldn’t completely stop her momentum. As a result, she knocked me down.

“Mmm…”

A soft sensation touched my lips.

A moist, tender feeling on my lips. Her breath, carried a clean fragrance.

And right before me was Luca’s face, eyes wide with shock──.

“Ah…!”

It was only then that I realized we were kissing. When she fell on me, our lips had accidentally met.

“Aah…”

Our eyes locked as our lips remained pressed together. Stunned, we just stared at each other, still kissing.

“S-sorry…!”

I hastily pulled away.

The warmth of her lips still lingered. My heart was pounding, ready to burst.

“N-no, it’s my fault… I’m sorry…”

Luca traced her trembling fingers over her own lips.

“… My first kiss… H-Haruto’s lips taste… sweet…”

She let out a soft sigh.

For some reason, I felt incredibly embarrassed.

“Sorry to interrupt your little moment, but you might want to save the flirting for later.”

Sarome’s voice was a sharp reminder.

“That earthquake earlier? It looks like it was his doing.”

“Who’s ‘he’…?”

From beyond the trees, a massive shadow began to rise.

It must have been at least twenty meters tall.

A lizard-like face. A body covered in scales. Membranous wings.

“That’s… no way──”

I gasped. It looked eerily similar to the creature that attacked my town before.

A wild dragon.

A dragon.

The very embodiment of the word ‘strongest,’ a monster that, when defeated, bestows the title of Dragon Slayer.

Dragons come in two main types.

One type is a magical beast that emerges from the demon realm. The other is a creature native to this world, a wild dragon.

Both are almost equally strong. In other words, both are top-tier threats.

It’s said that only rank S adventurers, the strongest of the strong, can fight dragons. Fortunately, we have one at our party──Luca, so we should be able to take it on.

“But still…”

I bit my lip.

I shook off the lingering sensation from the kiss. My mind cooled, slipping into battle mode.

“Haruto…?”

Luca looked at me with a puzzled expression. She, too, suppressed her earlier fluster and returned to the focused look of a swordswoman ready for battle.

… Though her cheeks were still slightly red.

I couldn’t help but find it a little cute, but I refocused on the fight ahead.

“I need to stop relying on others──”

As I stood before this enormous monster, a desire welled up within me.

To get stronger.

Not just to protect. But to handle everything on my own.

To be strong enough to win by myself──.

And to protect everyone.

Even if someone like Electra appeared again, I’d protect them all and defeat anything with my power.

I want to become that kind of person. I will become that.

──That’s why.

“I’ll take this thing on alone.”

“Haruto, what are you talking about…?”

“Overconfidence will get you killed.”

Luca said coldly, though her voice carried a hint of confusion.

“It’s fine. I’m not being arrogant. I just feel it.”

I smiled at them and turned towards the dragon.

[Through past battles, the people you’ve met, and the resonance with other skill holders──Haruto is showing signs of even greater growth. He is nearing the ultimate power──the one who opens the door.]

I recalled the goddess’s words.

“The power──it’s growing. No, it’s overflowing.”

In front of me, an angelic pattern with wings appeared, glowing brightly.

The rainbow-colored light it emitted was more intense and vivid than ever before.

Each time I encountered other holders, our skills resonated, and my power increased.

When I met Gregorio the killer. When I fought alongside Jack with his enhancement abilities. ──And during my recent encounter with Electra.

“You two, stay back.”

With those words, I stepped forward.

The dragon came at us, shaking the ground as it moved.

The pressure was overwhelming, shaking me to the core. The despair of standing before such an absolute force.

But all of that vanished in an instant.

What replaced it was a surge of fighting spirit and confidence. And a sense of calm.

For some reason, I didn’t feel like I could lose. I would seal it. And defeat it.

“──Fourth form, [Void Seal].”

I released a rainbow-colored orb of light.

The orb burst above the dragon’s head, forming a dome that enveloped its massive body. This was a skill that nullified any attack energy.

I could tell its range and duration had probably increased since before. It was an instinctual feeling.

With every encounter with another holder, my power grows stronger──.

The dragon struggled.

It clawed at the dome and lashed out with its tail, but nothing could penetrate the barrier. The rainbow-hued cage had effortlessly trapped the dragon, the strongest of monsters. But then──,

“What…!?”

The light surrounding the dragon began to change color.

A golden glow overflowed.

The usual vibrant rainbow light was shifting in hue. The pattern floating in front of me wavered, flickering erratically.

My skill was undergoing some kind of transformation──!?

Though I was suspicious, I quickly refocused on the dragon before me.

It was the strongest of monsters. A single mistake could cost us our lives.

I wasn’t going to risk putting Luca or Sarome in danger──I would seal it completely.

And defeat it.

Yes, I’ll defeat it. Not just defend──.

Sensing my plan, the dragon suddenly stopped moving.

…Then I’ll create an opening.

I deactivated the light cage surrounding the dragon’s massive form.

Immediately,

GROOAAAAHHHHHH!

The dragon let out a roar of rage and unleashed a breath attack.

Good, it took the bait. Right before the dragon fired its breath, I redeployed my skill.

“Third form, [Kaleidoscope Shift].”

The dome of light reflected the breath attack in every direction.

BOOM!

The energy, bouncing within the confined space, scorched the dragon’s body.

I don’t have any offensive abilities. But if I can use my opponent’s attack against them, I can manage this much.

“I… defeated a dragon in an instant.”

Luca gasped.

“You’re really a Dragon Slayer now.”

“Amazing… If we report this to the guild, you’ll be promoted to B-rank right away, maybe even A-rank,” Sarome added.

“Or perhaps… even higher,” Luca murmured.

And then we continued on. Eventually, we reached the heart of the forest, where a small stone temple stood.

“This is──”

I held my breath.

The exterior was just an old, unremarkable temple.

But I could feel it. My entire body pulsed with heat.

The divine power within me was reacting to something inside the temple.

“The Temple of the Ancient Dragon──”