Volume 9, Chapter 17 – A Position That’s Both Laughable and Frustrating

“It’s the Lady Angel—no, pointed ears and black hair? A Dark Elf?”

Seeing someone step out from the tree trunk, the five-colored half-dragons waiting outside were momentarily overjoyed. However, the moment they realized the person emerging was an elf with black hair, their expressions of joy froze, and their brows furrowed in suspicion.

Showing no sign of intimidation, Fia placed her right hand over her heart and tilted her head slightly upward to look at the tall half-dragon before her, who stood well over two meters.

“A pleasure to meet you. I am Dofilia Alexia Yushir, the First Princess of the Elven Kingdom of Silvar on the World Tree Continent. You may also call me the Witch of Calamity Flame. I am sorry for your plight; if there is any way I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.”

After finishing her introduction, Fia tilted her head to look behind the five half-dragons. Seeing that Claire was not nearby, she curled her lips into a faint, meaningful smile.

“May I ask where Claire is?”

To Fia’s surprise, the dragons let out heavy, dissatisfied huffs. They lowered their centers of gravity, their expressions surfacing with indignation and hostility.

“Where did this child come from? Since when do elves have the right to offer ‘assistance’ to dragons? Are you looking down on us?”

“Elf, this is no place for you. Go back to your tribe.”

“To call yourself a princess of the World Tree Continent… What a joke!”

Hoh~

Faced with the dragons’ nearly unanimous rejection, Fia raised an eyebrow imperceptibly. Though Claire had warned her that dragons were arrogant and looked down on other races, and she had seen their tyranny at the Dark Elf village, experiencing it firsthand still caused a mark of irritation to pop up on her forehead.

She tucked away her smile and restated her question tonelessly.

“You should have found Claire by now. I will ask one last time: where is she?”

“Begone! Weak elf, you are not qualified to speak with the Five Dragons of the Council!”

Shouting at Fia, the red-scaled dragon lunged forward. Relying on his massive build, which towered over Fia, he swung a fist with a vicious force, his claws slicing through the air with a sharp whoosh .

Fia could tell he was holding back slightly, but it was still far beyond what a normal Dark Elf could endure; at the very least, several bones would be shattered.

“Go back to your tribe and eat bugs!”

“Xibo! Stay your hand!”

Just as the massive fist was about to slam into Fia’s face, a black shadow suddenly appeared at her side. Xibo, sensing the shadow’s intent to stop him, accelerated his already formidable force, trailing afterimages in the air. Had this strike hit an ordinary person, they would have been flattened like a meat patty by a steamroller.

But the shadow beside Fia did not dodge. He stubbornly thrust out his right arm, meeting the red dragon’s fist head-on.

BANG!

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The collision of two massive forces created an ear-splitting explosion. The shockwave whipped Fia’s long black hair, and the ground trembled beneath the two dragons’ struggle. A series of spider-web cracks radiated from beneath their feet, and the low shrubs nearby were tossed about like straw.

“Ngh.”

Seeming to take the brunt of the impact, the dark-purple half-dragon standing in front of Fia grunted. He surged with his right arm, parrying Xibo’s fist, and stood tall with a chest as firm as a mountain. Although Fia couldn’t see the half-dragon’s face, she could tell from his heaving shoulders that he was fuming.

His scales were the same color as Radric’s; he was a Moon Dragon.

“Barnett, what is the meaning of this? Dark Elves are fit only for food! They have no right to speak to us!”

“You are violating Mimiu’s will, Xibo. Dragons shall not kill outsiders without cause—that is Mimiu’s command.”

“Uh.”

The Moon Dragon’s words made the red dragon’s breath hitch, and his aura withered. However, he didn’t give up. Instead, he widened his eyes and blustered.

“She provoked us first! We came to save Mimiu, and she interfered!”

“Don’t take me for a fool. If you don’t want to face Mimiu’s wrath when she comes out, take the others and leave. I’ll handle this.”

Normally, matters would have ended there, but the Moon Dragon’s words seemed to touch a nerve. Xibo’s emotions flared up instantly.

“Since when do you have the right to order me?! You Moon Dragons may be trusted by Mimiu, but there is no seat for you on the Council! Don’t lecture us, you lunatics who only know how to help outsiders! If you don’t hand over that Dark Elf today, I’ll kill you first!”

As if deliberately trying to provoke the Moon Dragon, Xibo extended a long, lizard-like tongue to lick his lips, his words and gaze full of provocation.

“Ah, it’s been a long time since I’ve tasted an elf. Shall I flay her and roast her, or cut off her limbs and keep her as a pet? I’m looking forward to it.”

“Say that again.”

Xibo’s words clearly incensed the Moon Dragon, who narrowed his eyes, releasing a sharp, dangerous aura. Sensing the Moon Dragon’s hostility, the remaining four half-dragons stepped forward slowly. The five of them formed a semi-circle, surrounding both the Moon Dragon and Fia.

Discord even among the dragons, then.

Fia observed the scene with an impassive gaze. From their dialogue, it was clear: the Five Dragons of the Council rejected outsiders, while the Moon Dragons were friendly toward them. Since the Dragon Sovereign Mimiu was also pro-outsider, the Moon Dragons were highly trusted, which bred resentment in the Council.

All five dragons were of the Seventh Rank, with the red dragon Xibo being exceptionally close to the Eighth. In contrast, the Moon Dragon was only a standard Seventh Rank; he wouldn’t even be a match for Xibo one-on-one.

“Dark Elf, I don’t know how you got here, but this is no place for you. When the fighting starts, run. Run as far as you can.”

The Moon Dragon’s deep voice whispered the warning in her ear. Fia couldn’t help but smile wryly. She straightened her collar, then pulled the silver Moon Key from her waist and gave it a small wave, speaking with pensive calm.

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“Thank you for the warning. But I have always accepted any challenge.”

“Don’t boast. This red dragon is nearly Eighth Rank; even if you have some skill, you are no match for him. He won’t dare kill me, but you are different.”

“Still jabbering at death’s door!”

Seeing the Moon Dragon still talking to Fia, the already enraged Xibo grew even more furious. He raised a fist and stepped forward, the force of his footfall shattering the ground. His red-scaled body, wreathed in a foul wind, lunged at the Moon Dragon. His fist, the size of a human head, was packed with explosive power that could punch through stone without even using magic.

But the Moon Dragon was prepared. Two dark-purple magic shields manifested before him, and he began chanting an offensive spell at high speed, the incantation sounding unsettling even to the ear.

However.

Just as Xibo’s fist was about to slam into the magic shield, he suddenly stomped his foot, forcefully stopping his momentum toward the Moon Dragon. With his powerful calf muscles tensed to the limit, Xibo abruptly changed course. He leaped into the air, soaring over the Moon Dragon, and brought his right fist down toward Fia’s head with all his might. His toothy face was split by a triumphant, malicious grin.

Even if the Moon Dragon wasn’t a Council member, he was still of the dragon race; Xibo didn’t have the guts to kill his own kind. But a Dark Elf was different. Even if Mimiu had ordered them not to harm outsiders, she wouldn’t make him pay with his life for one elf. In exchange, he could humiliate the Moon Dragon—a prospect that filled him with boundless joy and pride.

“Xibo!”

Seeing the red dragon about to crush the elf he was protecting into a meat patty, the Moon Dragon’s eyes turned bloodshot. He immediately aborted his offensive spell and reached toward the sky in a desperate attempt to stop Xibo. But the other four half-dragons weren’t idle; they lunged at the Moon Dragon from four different directions. If the Moon Dragon insisted on stopping Xibo, he would be gravely wounded himself.

Worse still, the gap in power meant the Moon Dragon was too late to stop Xibo, who was already at his back. No matter how the Moon Dragon roared, he couldn’t change the fact that Xibo’s strike would land on Fia. The more the Moon Dragon raged, the more Xibo exulted. He could already see this small, fragile Dark Elf letting out a scream of despair before her skull was crushed and hot blood sprayed everywhere.

If that blood could spray onto the Moon Dragon’s face, that would be the best result. To let the Moon Dragon watch as the thing he guarded was smashed to pieces… to make him tremble with rage… that would bring Xibo a pleasure like he’d never known.

Yes, like that! Smash this arrogant Dark Elf to bits!

The surge of ecstasy made Xibo put even more strength into his strike. He was impatient; to make the scene even more brutal, he channeled mana into his claws, coating them in a layer of wind magic designed to shred muscle and bone.

And then, Xibo’s strike hit Fia.

The difference was that it didn’t land quite the way Xibo had expected.

The moment his fist was about to strike, a hand—much smaller than Xibo’s—intervened. It moved with such speed that Xibo failed to react entirely.

Xibo’s first thought was that he had simply failed to notice the hand from the start. While he was surprised that this Dark Elf was even trying to resist, he continued to pour mana into his fist, expecting to shred her arm first.

It wasn’t until a force so solid it felt as if it would shatter his entire body traveled up from his fist that he realized with a shock: his attack could not advance a single inch.

It felt as if a punch intended for a pillow had struck a massive iron sphere. A BANG echoed in the air, accompanied by a sharp pain that radiated from his knuckles all the way up his arm. Xibo felt his finger bones were about to pierce through his flesh. He instinctively opened his mouth, but before the pained grunt could leave his throat, his vision spun wildly. From the perspective of the onlookers, Fia had caught Xibo’s fist with a single hand, and with a clean, physics-defying motion that left everyone agape, she used his own momentum to slam his entire body into the ground behind her!

BOOM!!!

Even the World Tree Core shook in the wake of that earth-shattering impact. The ground looked as if it had been hit by a cannonball, a crater over ten meters wide caving in. Shrapnel from the earth sprayed out like bullets. The massive commotion caused the four dragons lunging at the Moon Dragon to stop in their tracks. Everyone—the Moon Dragon included—stood paralyzed, convinced they were hallucinating. A Dark Elf had just slammed a near-Eighth Rank red dragon into the ground using nothing but physical strength. Had they not seen it with their own eyes, they would have sworn they were dreaming.

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“Ugh… ah…”

Xibo’s powerful draconic vitality allowed him to let out a pained groan. As the agony from his back registered, he realized what had happened, and hot blood rushed to his brain in a fury. To be humiliated by a lowly Dark Elf as a noble red dragon was intolerable. He struggled to push himself up, but before he could react, a golden, rod-like object that looked like a metal staff occupied his entire vision.

It was the Moon Key, swung by Fia in a full arc.

Carrying a heavy, unstoppable force, it traced a perfect curve through the air.

THWACK!

It wasn’t just the dull thud of metal hitting flesh, but the crisp CRACK of bones shattering. Fia’s blow struck the red dragon’s abdomen with a force that would have sent a dragon flying like a baseball. Xibo’s body curled upward at both ends while his middle buckled inward, leaving him folded like a piece of paper.

“GAH!!”

A fountain of blood sprayed into the air, and red scales shattered and flew everywhere.

Even so, the red dragon had not lost his will to fight. A magical light flashed in his blood-red dragon eyes, but Fia was faster. She delivered a kick to his completely shattered spine, and he flew backward like a broken sandbag, whistling through the air straight toward the other four half-dragons.

The entire sequence had taken less than three seconds. As if she had done something trivial, Fia stowed the Moon Key and dusted off her hands. She no longer greeted the five dragons with a smile; instead, she tilted her chin slightly, her face full of disdain.

“Is this all you’ve got? You aren’t even my match in raw physical strength. Dragons aren’t much after all.”

“You… bastard!”

Driven by the insult and the sight of their companion being nearly slaughtered, the remaining four dragons couldn’t suppress their rage. They panted heavily, and a dense ripple of mana radiated from them. A tidal wave of elements stirred a black, wicked wind through the world; leaves and shrubs rustled, and sand and stone were swept into the air. Every one of them had bloodshot eyes, nearly losing their reason.

Fia stole a glance at the agape Moon Dragon, then looked back at the four standing dragons and the struggling Xibo.

“What? Your strength failed, so you want to use magic?”

If these five half-dragons weren’t Mimiu’s subordinates, Fia would have already made an example of Xibo, just as she had with the Alfrieg Kingdom and the Northern Nations. Mimiu had helped Claire, after all; making her lose her generals would put Claire in an awkward position.

“This Dark Elf must be using a spell that overdraws her life force! We’ll strike all at once; she won’t last long!”

“Cut off her head as a warning!”

“Turn all the Dark Elves into meat patties and make her watch her kin scream in regret!”

“…”

Fia’s expression turned icy cold.

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I take it back. These dragons are better off dead.

“Are you… alright?”

The Moon Dragon finally snapped out of it, his gaze darting toward the massive crater behind Fia as if to confirm he wasn’t dreaming.

“I’m fine. If I kill them all, Mimiu won’t blame me, will she?”

“No, don’t be rash! There’s no need to overdraw your life for the likes of them—”

“What’s going on? Why is it so noisy?”

As the Moon Dragon tried to talk Fia down, a gentle female voice, like soft moonlight spilling onto the earth, reached their ears. The five dragons, the Moon Dragon, and Fia all looked up simultaneously. The five dragons in particular looked as if they had found a life-saving straw.

“Miss Claire! This Dark Elf is provoking the dragon race! Help us!”

“…Hm?”

Though Claire wasn’t in sight yet, Fia could hear her confused tone. She couldn’t help but be amused by the five dragons’ behavior. She put away the Moon Key and stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for Claire to appear.

This made the Moon Dragon look anxious. He stood between Fia and the five dragons, nearly pushing her away.

“No matter how strong you are, you can’t be a match for Miss Claire! She is the strongest being in all of Dragonfall and is an ally of Mimiu! Run!”

“Ah, I know.”

“If you know, why aren’t you leaving?!”

“Just watch.”

After the five dragons waited for a few seconds, the late-arriving Claire finally descended from the sky. When she saw the five dragons—especially the beaten Xibo pointing a finger at Fia—her expression turned subtle. Her eyes met Fia’s as if asking, What happened?

“Miss Claire, she nearly killed Xibo! She is an enemy to all of Dragonfall!”

A half-dragon covered in black scales roared his accusation. As he spoke, the five dragons clustered around Claire, seemingly waiting for her to vent their frustrations.

Claire, her face impassive, took two steps forward. But just as the dragons were rejoicing, thinking she was going to settle the score with Fia, Claire suddenly turned to face the five of them. She remained silent for a full two seconds before squeezing a sentence through her teeth.

“Before you fought her… did you bother to find out who she was?”