As we crossed the Atlas Mountain Range aboard the Seno Grande Kai, a colossal peak loomed ahead of us. Compared to the surrounding mountains, it stood nearly twice as tall—an overwhelming mass of rock that pierced the clouds.
“Hn… it’s really high.”
Fana murmured.
“That is the main peak of the Atlas Range.”
I answered as I nod towards it. Even with Seno Grande Kai, we were only barely able to reach this altitude.
“The oxygen is thin… even just breathing feels tough. It’s also freezing up here.”
Anje said, rubbing her arms. No ordinary human could survive long in such an environment—too little oxygen, too much cold.
“At this altitude, only dragons could live here normally. And not just ordinary ones either… eh?”
I squinted toward the summit.
“Wait a second—doesn’t the top of the mountain look… discolored?”
As we drew closer to the main peak, it became clear that the summit was covered in a dark, viscous substance.
Then—
Wooong—wooong—wooong—wooong—wooong—!
A piercing alarm blared throughout the bridge.
On the monitor before us, the internal map of the airship flashed red, a series of X marks had appeared where the entrance and exit were.
“It’s detecting hazardous elements in the outside atmosphere. It’s warning us not to go out.”
Anje spoke, her eyes narrowing.
The source was obvious—the strange black liquid smothering the mountaintop.
“Something just moved. There—something shaped like a lizard.”
Fana said, pointing at the display.
“Let’s check it out.”
I aimed the scanning radar toward the spot Fana had pointed out.
—And immediately, a powerful reaction flared across the display.
Judging from the outline, it could only be a dragon. Roughly thirty meters long, its massive body moved with unsettling grace as it waded through that strange, tar-like liquid without a hint of discomfort.
『That substance is likely poisonous.』
(You can tell, Linlin?)
『Without a doubt. That’s definitely the abominable evil dragon…the poisonous dragon Fafnir. I can’t believe it’s making a place like this its lair.』
Lindwurm’s tone dripped with distaste, as though even speaking the creature’s name left a foul taste in her mouth.
Among dragons, those with low intelligence and deeply malicious natures are known as Evil Dragons.
…Well, Bahamut could technically be called evil too, but at least she’s smart enough to hold a conversation. That alone puts her in a different league.
“Since we’ve stumbled across it anyway, we might as well take care of it while we’re here.”
Leaving an Evil Dragon alone was never a good idea. Just like the demons, they only brought disaster if ignored. Sure, in a place this remote there was little risk to people—but there was no telling when it might decide to descend upon the lands below.
“You—you actually plan to fight that thing!?”
Karen’s voice trembled.
“Look strong.” Fana said, eyes sparkling.
“Wait, isn’t it hard enough just to breathe outside?!”
“Not to mention, the area is saturated with that poison. Entering its domain means certain death.”
“It’s fine. We don’t even need to go outside for this one.”
It was the perfect chance to test the Seno Grande Kai’s combat capabilities. Honestly, I’ve been thinking that the small fry dragons we’d run into so far were far too weak for a proper trial run.
“—Tch! SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
“It noticed us!”
As we drew closer, Fafnir turned its massive head toward us.
A heartbeat later, a high-output mana cannon roared to life.
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!
The blast struck Fafnir head-on.
—Or so it seemed. At the very last moment, the beast twisted its body and narrowly avoided the hit. Though its body was massive, Fafnir’s stance was low to the ground, its movements more akin to a lizard slithering across the earth—swift and unnervingly agile for a creature of its size.
“Poison breath incoming!”
As if in retaliation, the dragon spewed a torrent of venomous liquid toward us.
But the Seno Grande Kai deployed its barrier in an instant, easily deflecting the attack. Without pause, the airship retaliated with another blast from its mana cannon.
Once again, the evil dragon evaded with blinding speed. Yet before it could regain its footing, the next barrage was already upon it.
“How long do you think you can keep dodging?”
Fafnir scrambled desperately along the cliff face, twisting and turning to escape the relentless bombardment. But at last, one of the mana blasts struck into its back with a resounding impact.
“Gruaaaaaah!?”
The Seno Grande Kai immediately followed up with a rapid volley of mana blasts, showing not the slightest hint of mercy as it drove the evil dragon into a corner.
“…This feels a bit one-sided, doesn’t it?”
“Mm. It’s just getting pummeled.”
“Can’t that thing fly or something?”
Hmm. What a disappointment.
『Fafnir’s wings have long since degenerated, rendering it incapable of flight. As such, when attacked from the air like this, its only means of retaliation is that poisonous breath. But with even that neutralized by your barrier, it truly has no options left.』
“So once its breath was blocked by the barrier, that was pretty much game over for it, huh.”
Before long, the mana cannons fell silent.
The Seno Grande Kai must have determined that the enemy had been completely annihilated.
Fafnir’s colossal, mangled body tumbled helplessly down the sheer cliffside, disappearing into the ravine below.
『Once the evil dragon is dead, its venom will eventually dissipate as well.』
“Good enough. No one’s coming to this place anyway—let’s just leave it be.”
Leaving the poison-soaked peak behind, we pressed onward.
“Ah! Master, the end of the Great Mountain Range is in sight! At last, we’re about to set foot in the western lands…!”
The airship soared past the final ridge of the mountain range.
No longer needing to maintain such an altitude, I began to lower our height.
—that was when it happened.
Wooong—wooong—wooong—wooong—!
Once again, the piercing sound of the alarm echoed through the control room.
I frowned and checked the monitor, wondering what it could be this time—only to see a massive object rapidly approaching from ahead.
“W–what the heck is that!?”
“…An island?”
“Y-you’re right. It is an island! But why in the world is it floating in the sky!?”
Beyond the window stretched an impossible sight— a vast expanse of land, suspended high above the clouds.
“Don’t tell me… that’s a floating island?”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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