Matan’s Shooter

The speed of the breath and Bailephus’s evading speed were instantly calculated in Leeha’s mind.

“No, it’s too late!”

It was impossible to avoid.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Use your skill! Evade with that combination skill!”

Just as Leeha was about to send a whisper to Alexander, a blinding radiance erupted near Bailephus.

─────────────…….

“Ugh?!”

Leeha also momentarily winced from the brightness, but he quickly adapted. He noticed one of the emerging figures amidst the light.

“Blaugrunn-ssi! Perfect timing!”

Blaugrunn, who was responsible for reporting to Bahamut and bringing him, performed his role splendidly, and at the perfect moment!

Bahamut nodded at Bailephus and immediately spewed his breath.

Bahamut’s breath soared towards Tiamat’s. Leeha saw Bailephus frantically layering multiple shields as he hurriedly retreated.

“〈Electric Barrier〉!”

Blaugrunn also hastily cast a shield, protecting both himself and Leeha.

At that moment, the breaths collided.

“Uh…?”

Rather than a collision, it appeared to be a merging process.

The breaths from their mouths stretched and converged into a single point.

No more breaths were being emitted from both Bahamut and Tiamat, and a single point continued to sparkle at the intersection of their breaths. Leeha’s observation was not incorrect.

However, it was more accurate to say that due to the immense power of both, even the repulsion force couldn’t manifest yet.

When all that energy reached its critical point, the breaths repelled each other.

To Leeha, it appeared as just a flicker of light, but on the ground where the breaths collided, a violent upheaval was occurring.

The shockwave from the repelling breaths was enough to alter the terrain.

Chimeras, users, and NPCs, who were unprepared, vanished as if erased by an eraser. They didn’t just turn gray or die; they literally ‘evaporated’.

Zzzz—!

That shockwave reached where Leeha was.

Only after Blaugrunn’s barrier reacted intensely, did the sound finally arrive.

BOOOOOM────────!

“It’s more than 4 kilometers away, yet the shockwave reached here!”

Leeha was astounded.

The intimidation of facing Tiamat in real life was no joke.

Leeha doubted whether Bahamut could handle that, but at least it was confirmed that he could block ‘one head’s’ breath.

“Indeed, it’s Lord’s breath! Since he can emit breaths as much as he wants, if he bombards Tiamat indiscriminately—.”

“No, no! That’s just a last resort! If he emits breaths endlessly, the humans will all burn to death!”

However, the fact that breaths could block other breaths couldn’t be interpreted too optimistically.

Including the chimeras, how many innocent lives would be caught in the crossfire between these two colossal forces?

‘Above all, Tiamat’s breath…’

It was just one ray. The five other heads were only breathing.

If all six heads in the video spewed breath simultaneously, could Bahamut handle it?

“No, we must block it. Somehow… At least the breath must be blocked.”

This thought was not only held by Leeha.

The frontline, which had been holding its ground against the chimera until just moments ago, began to slowly and steadily retreat.

The users, distracted by Tiamat, had their morale broken, or they started fleeing from him, causing the frontlines to gradually collapse. This situation was the result of a single breath attack from one of Tiamat’s six heads, not a combined blast.

* * *

“Run awaaaaaay—!”

“S-save me! This crazy war was never supposed to happen in the first place!”

“Damn it, weren’t those chimera bastards just pretending to fall back?!”

“We can’t even teleport here because it’s the ‘East’!”

While the users in the rear could at least try to escape, those at the front couldn’t teleport or retreat. Unless the defensive line collapsed entirely, it was nearly impossible for a single individual to go against it.

At that moment, the frontline was starting to crack as if a dam was fissuring, but it hadn’t yet burst open with a gaping hole.

Alexander furrowed his brow as he observed the chaos on the ground. However, he couldn’t blame them entirely. Even he had barely managed to retreat from the shockwave, sweating profusely.

“Tiamat’s breath being unleashed is a problem, but…”

『The problem is also the Lord trying to block it with another breath.』

“If we can’t completely block that breath…”

Defeat.

The word flashed across Alexander’s mind.

‘It would be good if I could help the frontline even momentarily, but it’s impossible.’

Why were the users terrified? It was because of Tiamat’s overwhelming power. And that was due to the indirect experience of just one encounter.

Alexander himself had to face Tiamat directly with Bailephus. Naturally, he had not the slightest capability to worry about the ground users.

『Hmm—!』

Bahamut soared into the air, dodging Tiamat’s rampant attacks. Tiamat’s heads followed the platinum dragon.

Bailephus also turned back towards the sky, chasing after Bahamut.

Five heads were following Bahamut’s movements.

However, the movement of one of the heads was different.

Bailephus—!

One hideous face had locked onto Bailephus chasing behind Bahamut. Bailephus glanced back to see its face.

『Partner, it seems what we should aim for is Kuzgunak’sh’s consciousness.』

“Hmm. That must be Tiamat’s flaw.”

『Even in rest, it seeks me out. The last remnant of Kuzgunak’sh’s consciousness is pure rage towards me.』

“No. It might not be just that, friend.”

『What do you mean, Alexander?』

“Kuzgunak’sh fought you out of desire only once when alive. After death, its body was used as an undead, and now its head is grafted onto a chimera. The last thought of its consciousness might be… a plea for someone to end its wretchedly exploited life.”

『You mean it’s crying out for someone to stop it from being agonized and enslaved by Le… calling to me?』

“Yes.”

Even though metal and chromatic dragons inherently had different inclinations, the pride placed upon the broader dragon race was something Alexander didn’t wish to trample on. He understood well about their peculiar rival relationship.

Kuzgunak’sh sought complete and eternal death, that solace. Then, who would be the target?

It seemed obvious to Alexander that he would recall his fiercest rival, the one he hated most and angered him the most—the metal dragon.

『”Poor Kuzgunak’sh fellow… unable to trust even his own kind, the Chromatic Clan, he turned to me…”』

The dragon’s brow furrowed momentarily. But the reflection ended there.

As Tiamat’s gigantic body twitched, the surrounding clouds were shredded to pieces.

Fortunately, that overwhelming figure did not come with speed.

However, the mere fact that it was approaching was already a significant pressure for Bailephus, Bahamut, and Alexander.

『”Alexander. Bailephus.”』

『”Yes, my lord.”』

『”Summon the clan. I’ll handle Tiamat for a while.”』

Bahamut circled, attempting to restrain Tiamat’s movements for a moment.

Can they confront Tiamat by combining all the power of the Metal Dragons? However, that too was uncertain.

Just as Bahamut had Metal Dragons, Tiamat had Chromatic Dragons.

『”We can’t let this go on.”』

Onyx, leading the Chromatic Dragons, hovered near Tiamat’s head, blasting breaths and magic.

『”… Onyx. Foolish friend, can’t you see Tiamat’s current state? Do you think you can handle the entangled thoughts of Kuzgunak’sh while she’s in this incomplete state?”』

Bahamut said while evading their spells.

Bailephus and Alexander began gathering the nearby Metal Dragons and headed towards Bahamut.

Although there were some incapacitated dragons, there were still over 20 dragons in each faction.

『”This is none of your concern. Our queen has awakened… We only need to annihilate you.”』

Onyx shouted with utmost confidence.

Bahamut, shaking his head, reproached Onyx.

『”I know you share Tiamat’s pain. And I also know that it is nearing failure. Can you keep sharing her pain while fighting me? The moment you fail to share the pain—Kuzgunak’sh’s thoughts and Tiamat’s mind will intertwine, causing her to go berserk.”』

Bahamut was a unique entity, the only one who could know this, equal to Tiamat! The Chromatic Dragons visibly flustered at Bahamut’s words.

『”Is that… is that really possible, elder?”』

『”Though the queen seemed distressed at times—it was just a fleeting issue, wasn’t it?”』

『”Didn’t the Elder say he could fully handle Kuzgunak’sh’s thoughts?”』

Onyx silently turned around.

『”Whose words do you trust, mine or Bahamut’s? I will risk my life to share the queen’s pain. You focus on wiping out Bahamut and his Metal Clan with the queen.”』

『”Nonsense! Don’t you know this is not something you can do alone? Are you really trying to make Tiamat go berserk—… I see. That was your goal!”』

Bahamut’s eyes widened in realization.

The other dragons had not reached Bahamut’s level of suspicion yet.

As Bahamut tried to speak again, Tiamat had already closed a significant distance.

『”Everyone, attack with the queen.”』

Onyx commanded and quickly retreated behind Tiamat.

『”Attack! Target Tiamat! Prevent her head from unleashing her breath!”』

Bahamut also ordered the Metal Dragons and started to move.

The dragons’ conversation in the sky did not reach the ground. Without Alexander, no one could have comprehended this situation.

Leeha was listening to all the ongoing conversations through Alexander.

—It was that! Onyx is trying to kill Bahamut using Tiamat!

—What then? What if Tiamat goes berserk?

Alexander asked Leeha.

Leeha, hearing that, felt a different kind of excitement and anticipation.