Chapter 30: All Teams
-Beta Team POV-
In a treacherous valley where gusts of wind were constant, a medium wind-elemental dragon soared through the skies.
Five brave adventurers teamed up to face the beast. The team consisted of: an Archer, a Warrior, a Mage, a Rogue, and a Cleric.
The valley was a maze of sharp rocks and cliffs, and strong gusts of wind made mobility and visibility difficult. From the start, the team faced difficulties. The gusts of wind caused the Archer's arrows to go astray, and the rocky terrain hindered the Warrior's progress.
The Mage tried to conjure a barrier of protection against the wind, but her lack of experience in such conditions caused the barrier to quickly dissipate.
The Rogue attempted to sneak past the rocks to get closer to the dragon, but the beast detected his presence and surprised him with an aerial attack. The dragon's attacks were fast and precise, using the wind to its advantage. The dragon's flying skills and ability to control air currents made it nearly untouchable. The Cleric, while attempting to heal the Rogue from his wounds, was hit by a powerful gust of wind, losing his concentration and leaving the Rogue vulnerable.
Internally, tensions between the adventurers were mounting. Lack of coordination and disputes over strategy were weakening their morale. The Archer, in a desperate attempt to hit an explosive arrow, missed and the arrow embedded itself in a nearby rock, causing an explosion that further destabilized the team. The dragon, taking advantage of the chaos, launched an attack on the Rogue. With its cutting wind breath, it caught the Mage, the Warrior and the Cleric, leaving them seriously injured. The Rogue, without the strength to continue, fell to the ground, unable to defend himself.
The dragon landed on the ground near them and used its sharp claws to finish them off. The adventurers were annihilated one by one. The mission had failed and the valley fell silent, save for the roar of the wind and the echo of defeat.
Beta Team: Complete defeat
-Gamma Team POV-
In the scorching desert of Dor-Kulan, a medium-sized fire dragon was resting by an oasis. A team of five warriors prepared to kill it due to a commission. The team consisted of: an Archer, a Warrior, a Rogue, a Spearman and a Shieldmaiden. To reach it, they had to cross a large expanse of desert from the city they started from.
The desert presented challenges of its own: extreme temperatures, treacherous dunes, and sudden sandstorms. As they advanced, the warriors struggled against the stifling heat and shifting terrain. However, they were prepared with magical items provided to them by the one who had commissioned the mission.
The encounter with the fire dragon was fierce. The beast, sensing the warriors' presence, launched a blast of fire towards them. The Shieldmaiden, using her magic shield, protected the rest of the team from the flames, as well as attracting the dragon's attention, as they spread out to surround the dragon. The Archer and Warrior took care to keep their distance, firing arrows and landing blows as they moved through the dunes.
The Rogue, taking advantage of his stealth boots, slipped through the shadows and managed to approach the dragon undetected. From his vantage point, he launched a surprise attack, wounding the dragon in one of its hind legs with his daggers. The dragon roared in pain and rage, quickly turning to attack the Rogue. However, the Shieldmaiden stood in the way, blocking the attack with her shield and diverting the dragon's attention.
The dragon, aware of the danger, used its fire breath to ravage the dunes and create an even more lethal environment. The team was forced to keep constantly moving to avoid the flames and the dragon's attacks. Despite the magical items, the battle was hard and exhausting.
The Warrior, with his sword, dealt precise and lethal blows, gradually weakening the dragon. The Archer, from a safe distance, launched arrows with precision, looking for a weak point in the dragon's scales. The Spearman and the Shieldmaiden stood firm in defense, protecting their companions and blocking the dragon's attacks.
The tension in the team was palpable. Every move had to be calculated and precise, as any mistake could be fatal. The Archer, aware of the importance of hitting the target with one of the explosive arrows, decided to wait for the right moment. The dragon, exhausted but still dangerous, launched a final attack, using its fire breath to ravage everything around it.
At that crucial moment, the Shieldmaiden stepped forward, using her shield to protect herself and create an opening for the Archer. The Archer seized the opportunity and loaded one of the explosive arrows onto his bow. With a mix of desperation and determination, he took aim and fired. The arrow flew, tearing through the air and striking the dragon in the chest. The resulting explosion was devastating, and the dragon fell, defeated.
However, it was not all without a cost. The Squire, who was standing near the dragon at the time of the explosion, even in full armor, took great damage, falling to the ground as the dragon fell beside her.
The rest of the team, exhausted but victorious, stood as the desert sand settled. The mission had been accomplished, but at a high cost. The sacrifice of the Squire and the bravery of the team had allowed them to complete the mission.
Gamma Team: Mission accomplished – One casualty
-Delta POV Team-
In an active volcano, located in the burning lands of Fyrgard, a fire Archdragon had made its nest. Known for its colossal size and devastating fire breath, this dragon had terrorized the region and its surroundings. A wealthy merchant, ambitious and eager to obtain the dragon's valuable materials, hired a group of six warriors to carry out this dangerous mission. Equipped with magical items that granted them resistance to extreme heat and magisteel weapons, the adventurers set out on their arduous journey to the volcano. The temperatures were scorching and the terrain was rugged, but the warriors advanced with determination, knowing that the merchant had provided everything necessary to fulfill their mission.
As they approached the volcano, they were greeted by a horde of Fire Wyverns. These winged creatures breathed fiery flames and attacked with ferocity. The Archer, with his magisteel bow and enchanted arrows, took down several Wyverns with well-aimed shots. The two Warriors engaged the creatures in melee combat, using their strength to strike down the enemies one after another. The PyroMage and CryoMage combined their powers, conjuring spells of fire and ice to weaken the creatures and keep the attacks at bay.
Climbing the volcano was a constant struggle against the elements and the monsters that inhabited it. The path was littered with fiery creatures, such as fire salamanders, that hindered their progress. The Squire, with his enchanted shield, led the vanguard, blocking attacks and protecting his companions as they slowly made their way to the top.
Finally, after a grueling struggle, the adventurers reached the top of the volcano. There, in the middle of the fiery crater, stood the Fire Archdragon. The colossal beast, covered in magma-red scales, raised its enormous head and let out a roar that echoed throughout the volcano.
The final battle was intense and fierce. The ArchDragon attacked with its fire breath, sending scorching blasts towards the warriors. PyroMage and CryoMage tried to counter the heat with their spells, but the dragon's power was overwhelming. The Warriors and Squire charged into the attack, seeking to breach the dragon's defenses, while the Archer prepared to fire the explosive arrows.
The dragon, however, was cunning and powerful. With swift, deadly movements, it attacked the adventurers one by one. The PyroMage was the first to fall, caught in the dragon's claws and crushed. The CryoMage attempted to freeze him, but was knocked back by a blow from the beast's tail. The Squire, with his shield raised, bravely faced the dragon, but succumbed to its scorching fire.
The Archer, in a desperate act, loaded the explosive arrows and aimed at the dragon's heart. Just before firing, the dragon launched a final attack, a burst of fire that engulfed the remaining adventurers. That action triggered the explosive arrows to activate, causing a massive detonation. The resulting explosion was catastrophic.
The dragon, severely wounded but not killed by the explosion, decided to retreat. With a final roar, it spread its wings and rose into the air, flying away to a safe place where it could heal its wounds. The volcano, now silent, stood as a witness to this battle.
Delta Team: Complete defeat
-Team Epsilon POV-
Just off the coast, on a remote island, a water ArchDragon had turned its home into an impenetrable fortress. Known for its colossal size and ability to manipulate water, this dragon had wreaked havoc on coastal villages and among vessels that ventured near the island.
Equipped with magical items that granted them water resistance and magisteel weapons, the adventurers set out on their journey to the island. However, their journey was not easy. Along the way, they encountered a horde of sea monsters, such as octopuses and monstrous fish, who tried to sink their ship and drag them into the abyss.
The Archer and Warrior were tasked with keeping the sea monsters at bay, firing arrows and striking blows with their magisteel weapons. The Water Mage and Wind Mage used their magical powers to create shields of water and wind, protecting the ship from attack. The Squire, with his enchanted shield, led the defense, blocking attacks and ensuring the team held firm.
The battle was fierce and exhausting. Sea monsters attacked from all directions, and the team had to fight with all their might to keep the ship afloat. Although they managed to repel the creatures, the ship was damaged and they barely made it to the island, exhausted but determined to accomplish their mission. They decided to rest for a while, they knew that what awaited them was very dangerous, so they wanted to be in their best condition.
Once rested, the adventurers ventured into the jungle, advancing towards the cave where the ArchDragon was located. The island was plagued by amphibious creatures that challenged them at every turn. However, the team, using their skill and the magic items provided by the merchant, advanced with determination.
Finally, they arrived at the cave deep within the island. There, in a vast underground lake, was the Water ArchDragon. The colossal beast, covered in scales as bright as the ocean, raised its enormous head and let out a roar that echoed throughout the cave.
The dragon attacked with high-pressure jets of water, launching blasts of water towards the warriors. The Water Wizard and Wind Wizard attempted to counter the attacks with their powers, creating barriers of water and wind. The Warrior and the Squire launched into the attack, seeking to open a breach in the dragon's defenses, while the Archer prepared to fire the explosive arrows.
The dragon, however, was cunning and powerful. With swift and deadly movements, it attacked the adventurers one by one. The Water Mage, trying to protect the Wind Mage from a direct hit from the dragon, was hit by one of the beast's water cannons. Mortally wounded, he fell to the ground, his last words being to encourage them to keep fighting. The Wind Mage, seeing his companion fall, cast his most powerful wind spell, managing to create multiple slash wounds on the dragon's scales, but exhausting all of his energy. He was knocked down by the dragon without much effort.
The Squire, with his shield raised, faced the dragon, allowing the Warrior to approach. The Archer, taking advantage of the distraction, loaded the explosive arrows and waited for the opportune moment to fire. However, in the heat of battle, the Squire was caught in the dragon's claws, lifted into the air and thrown into its mouth, where he was chewed brutally.
The Warrior, in a mix of fury and desperation, lashed out with his magisteel sword, managing to penetrate the dragon's scales and cause a significant wound, which drew the dragon's attention. The Archer, seeing the opening created by the Warrior, fired two of the explosive arrows at the same time with deadly accuracy. The arrows embedded themselves in the dragon's chest and exploded with devastating force.
Luckily for the Warrior, he was protected from the explosion by the dragon's own body, so he did not suffer any mortal injuries.
The mortally wounded Archdragon roared with one last breath before collapsing to the ground, its massive body shaking as the life faded from its eyes. The Warrior and Archer, exhausted and wounded, looked at each other in relief and sadness. The mission had been accomplished, but at a high cost.
Team Epsilon: Mission accomplished – Three casualties
-KAI POV-
After wasting the rest of the day of the "war" between Eldoreth and Sarion doing trivial things, I went to check the results of the adventurer teams I hired, hoping for good news.
The first was the Alpha team. After meeting them at the place we previously designated to complete the transaction, they told me how the entire operation was carried out in great detail. I can only say: What lucky bastards!
They got one of the ArchDragons, and these guys found him asleep, so they just had to shoot him from a distance. By the time he woke up, he had three of my arrows stuck in his body, ready to kill him. Not only that, but they also managed to escape the cave-in that followed the explosion. They managed to complete the mission without any significant casualties or injuries, and even managed to seal the cave so no one could steal my corpse. They deserve a 10/10.
After receiving the remaining arrows from them, I proceeded to give them their reward. I reaffirmed that they were not to speak of this until at least five days later, to which they agreed. After taking a quick look at the corpse and asking Mira to help me move it to our base, I went to find the Beta team.
Oh surprise! There is no Beta team!
After failing to find them at the agreed upon place, I went to the Medium Wind Dragon's territory, only to find their corpse parts everywhere and the dragon without any visible wounds. Luckily for me, I managed to find the unused arrows, nine in total. After putting the arrows away, I proceeded to use one of them and shoot it with all the strength of my arm at the wind dragon in the air. After hitting its neck, the explosion separated the head from the body. Afterwards it was like watching a plane plummet and crash into the ground.
That?!
Since I was here, I wasn't going to waste the opportunity. After all, this guy's element is one of my elements, it was more useful to me than a fire element, even if it was weaker than the rest. As for someone discovering me, that shouldn't be the case; at most, people would think it was a mutual death between the dragon and the adventurers. I always kept my magicules in check to avoid leaving any traces.
After sending a thought communication message to Mira to pick up the corpse when she had time, I went with Team Gamma. Although their performance wasn't as outstanding as Team Alpha, they at least completed the mission. After paying them and removing the remaining arrows, I went to inspect the battle area. Nothing relevant to mention.
To prevent anyone from noticing the dragon's corpse, I moved it to another spot far away from there and proceeded to bury it in a sand hill. After nodding at a job well done, I went to find Delta Team.
All I can say is: A bunch of idiots!
Not only did they die, but they detonated all my precious explosive arrows. Not only did they not kill the dragon, but they caused it to flee to who knows where. It will be a pain to have to search for its tracks later, and the explosion damaged the volcano and caused a massive overflow of lava and monsters, attracting the attention of many people.
I knew it was a bad idea to hire those guys. Who would take an ice mage to a volcano?! But they were the best among all the ones I looked for around here. If they couldn't do it, the others had less chance of completing the mission.
With an annoyed expression, I decided to go find the last team to end the day. Not finding them at the agreed upon place, I figured they hadn't completed my mission either. It was a surprise when I went to the island and found the corpse of the Water ArchDragon, along with the corpses of three members of Team Epsilon. Not seeing the remaining two, I decided to search the island. I found them near the cave hunting some monsters. I continued to watch them for a while, and so I learned that their ship had been completely damaged and they didn't dare to undertake the return journey.
That left me with a dilemma: kill them and silence them forever or help them escape the island so they can spread their names by defeating a dragon. Screw it, I'm feeling generous!
I quickly returned to shore, stole a docked ship without anyone noticing, then headed for the island. The sea monsters weren't much of a problem; a few blades of water and they had all been turned into sashimi.
Using illusion magic, I made the remaining adventurers see the merchant surrounded by dozens of guards who had come to see the dragon corpse, who upon finishing the inspection offered to take them back along with the corpses of his companions. Returning along the same path I had cleared, the entire trip was uneventful. After removing the remaining arrows, paying them their reward, and warning them not to say anything for at least five days, I left them at the dock, along with the ship.
Disappearing and reappearing on the island, I looked for a comfortable spot on the dragon corpse and waited for Mira to come help me with the corpse. After this, perhaps I could resolve the doubts I have about the dragon race and look into how to become one of them, even becoming not just a dragon like the dead guy next to me, but a True Dragon. Although I knew that becoming a True Dragon would take a long time.
But hey, we are allowed to have high goals.
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Author's notes:
For those who are not satisfied with the team results, everything was completely random, the amount of dragons, their elements, their evolutionary levels (they could only be from lower dragons to ArchDragon), the amount of members in the teams (it was just a roulette roll, the amount was used for all teams), the amount of survivors (if there were survivors it meant that they completed the mission, a dragon would not let them out alive), in addition to the conditions in which the dragons were when they were found, that's why the Alpha team was very lucky, they were the only ones who got a sleeping dragon.
Why was everything random?
For more pleasure.
And, because there was a significant chance of failure due to humans being very weak compared to dragons, it all came down to whether they could make proper use of the Dragon Slayer arrows , which I consider a matter of luck, hence the use of the roulette wheel.