Ancient Dragon in Arknights

Azure Star pulled back her charging body and, facing the target who was within arm's reach, she began to gather strength with her swords on her back—a powerful slash that could split mountains and cleave seas suddenly descended!

The Azure Star was aimed at the neck, but that vital spot was covered by countless spikes, so the attack severed countless spikes, and the broken fragments scattered on the ground like shattered armor.

That was a beautiful strike!

But Nergigante's counterattack is just around the corner!

The Nergigante, which had been on all fours, had changed its posture. It supported its entire weight with its hind legs and raised its forelegs high—its crimson eyes had regained their vision, and it was going to smash this ant that had angered it into mincemeat!

Snapped--!

"Roar!"

This time, the roar contained not only pain, but also the rage of being hit by the same attack.

"Don't forget I'm here too."

Nesario reloaded the launcher in his hand; the flashbang had just fired it.

"good chance!"

Azure Star, who originally planned to retreat and create distance, found that Nergigante's counterattack had been interrupted. She was very satisfied with this clever teammate, since the enemy was right in front of her and she had her weapon in her hand.

True Charged Slash!

The residual power from the previous attack was still within his body; now was the time to unleash it!

When Neltharion first arrived in the New World, he also used a greatsword, using the heavy blade as a fulcrum to lift himself up for a series of attacks.

This technique is now being used perfectly by Azure Star; her movements are smoother and more fluid, and her power far surpasses that of Nesario.

The greatsword with eight horns slashed down at Nergigante for the first time—this strike landed on its huge white horn, leaving a massive crack; then Azure Star used the greatsword as a fulcrum to lift herself up, turned in the air, and swung the sword again after landing!

The immense inertia of rotation perfectly amplifies its power, and the falling giant sword seems to possess the force to cleave a mountain. Why did Azure Star choose this greatsword? Because it is no ordinary object; it is a weapon crafted from the horn of a Qilin—the Thunder Summoning Sword!

Such a heavy strike triggered the power of the Kirin contained within the sword—intense lightning erupted from it and surged into the Nergigante's body with the attack.

Snap! A huge white horn broke off!

The Nergigante also staggered back several steps due to the pain of its broken horn. It seemed to have no strength left and was resting there with drool dripping from its mouth.

A good opportunity! Nesario knew his chance to attack had come. He crossed his claws—a familiar posture, a familiar sharpening of his blade.

With sparks flying, a slash that could cut through steel and shatter iron was unleashed—Nesario's target was the tail, a relatively vulnerable part. Cutting it off would greatly disrupt his balance, making it the obvious choice for his attack.

A sharp, tingling sensation shot through his tail, like his arm hitting a nerve—clearly, Nergigante's bones were incredibly hard, and Neltharion's tail was insufficient to sever it.

However... looking back, all the spikes on Nergigante's tail were broken off, and there was a deep wound on it that revealed the bone.

"You bleed too... monster."

Chapter Eighty-Six: The Cat!

After this battle, it seems that Nergigante isn't such a big deal after all?

Neltharion has only suffered minor injuries, and Azure Star is completely unharmed—while their target and enemy, Nergigante, has lost a horn, which is a serious injury for a dragon.

"It can be done..."

"Don't let your guard down! The real battle is just beginning."

Nesario's momentum weakened, and Azure Star noticed this immediately.

She knew very well that the most terrifying time for the ancient dragons was when their lives were truly threatened. At that time, they would attack and fight back at all costs, fighting frantically to fight for a chance to survive. This was the most terrifying and powerful force that had emerged from the evolution of nature.

Just as Azure Star said—the Nergigante, after losing its horn, stopped moving for a moment. Its eyes gradually filled with blood, and it raised its head and roared! Its wings spread wildly! The surrounding crystals were shattered by its roar.

After doing all this, Nergigante did not stop. It leaped into the air—its huge body soared high into the sky, and then crashed down on the spot where the two were.

It had used this move before, but this time the speed was clearly more ferocious and rapid—almost instantly, Nesario and Azure Star were blown away by the enormous impact.

Fueled by rage, all the thorns on its body were restored. The broken thorns were quickly shed, and new thorns regenerated rapidly—even more terrifying, these thorns oxidized and turned black shortly after being exposed to air.

It's not over yet! The Nergigante is serious now; it sees these two ants as equal opponents—it never gives its enemies a chance to breathe.

Before the two could even get up after rolling on the ground, Nergigante's next attack came—it pressed its forehead against the ground and then suddenly flipped it up, sending flying rocks, crystals, and spikes flying from its body like a violent storm, instantly leaving Neltharion and Azure Star covered in wounds.

"Roar!"

The Nergigante, having just unleashed its spikes, didn't stop. It charged towards Neltharion with all four limbs, its gaping maw already open—if it were to bite him, Neltharion's hunt for the day would be over, and he could wake up and prepare for his first lesson.

"It's time for us to step in!"

"Meow!"

Two little cats—one with a wagging eel and the other wearing armor made from monster materials—dart out from behind a giant crystal and unleash flashbangs, sonic bombs, and even stink bombs at Nergigante.

Because the Nergigante is too dangerous and difficult, Neltharion and his companion still have a chance to catch their breath, but it would be dangerous if the two kittens were hit; so Azure Star had them hide to the side from the beginning, and it was not recommended to come out unless it was an emergency.

Right now—Azure Star has been defeated, and Neltharion is about to be preyed upon. They must shoulder the responsibility!

"Roar..."

Having taken two hits in one go, Nergigante didn't intend to take a third, otherwise it would have taken a full 13 hits. Faced with the intense flash of light, it raised its wings to shield itself. As for the sonic boom and the stench... the former had little effect on Nergigante, which was used to fighting, and the latter would only further enrage it at this point.

But the time gained was precious; Nesario had already stood up and poured a healing potion over his head.

The same thing happened on Azure Star; she was even preparing to retaliate with her greatsword!

"Thank you so much! You saved my life."

"Attack now! Otherwise, we'll all be wiped out!"

"You don't need to say anything more!"

Neltharion's heart pounded. Nergigante, sensing its life threatened, began a desperate attack. Couldn't Neltharion do the same? Berserk mode activated!

The effects of the drugs in his body had not yet worn off, and now another thing was added—Nesario was now as fast as lightning, breaking all biological and physical limits!

He quickly reached the side of the Nergigante. The lesson he had just learned was that he and Azure Star were too close. Although that would have made their coordination faster, it would have also increased the probability of them being attacked together.

The two pulled back again, forcing Nergigante to choose one side to attack.

'Let's see which side you choose... If you choose me, I'll get my butt stabbed with a greatsword; if you choose Azure Star... my claws aren't any less sharp!'

Clearly, Nergigante was more wary of the Azure Star's power, as the two swords severed its horns; while Neltharion's damage was merely superficial.

It aimed its spear at the Blue Star, who was poised to unleash all its fury on her.

Dragon chariot charge!

The Nergigante charged towards Azure Star like a siege engine. Facing the rapidly approaching monster, Azure Star was not afraid. She knew that the greatsword wasn't very agile, and to escape she would have to abandon the heavy weapon. But what difference was there between a warrior abandoning his weapon and death?

"hiss..."

She took a deep breath, allowing the effects of the demon drug to spread throughout her body—she was ready to face the enemy head-on!

The greatsword was hoisted behind him, power was building in his hands, and the muscles in his legs were already tense.

The sweat from his palms was absorbed by his gloves to prevent his weapon from slipping. Azure Star was completely focused—he only had one chance!

"!"

Just as Azure Star was about to fight to the death, a figure wearing black and red armor moved even faster—Nesario quickly caught up with Nergigante and used incredible jumping power to leap onto Nergigante's back.

Its claws were firmly embedded in the gaps between the thorns, while its tail slashed wildly at Nergigante's back—clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and Neltharion's tail was bounced away!

The black thorns were much harder than before, so much so that Nesario could no longer cut them off!

'Danger!'

Nesario realized he might have made a mistake with this move!

Sure enough, upon sensing someone on its back, the Nergigante quickly changed its target. It continued its march, but its target was no longer Azure Star.

The Nergigante slammed into the ground in a self-destructive manner. The immense braking force caused it to roll almost the entire dragon around on the ground. Countless spikes were broken off in the process, and many even pierced into the Nergigante's own body.

But—it's all worth it.

"Nesario!"

"Nesario meow!"

Neltharion, clinging to Nergigante's back, couldn't escape in time; he was practically rolling and being run over by Nergigante while lying on the ground.

He lay there covered in blood, and no one knew if he was still alive.

Before his consciousness faded, Nesario had only one thought—'I hope Azure Star can escape with the Palico...'

He won't die; at most, he'll be a little listless the next day. But Azure Star only has one chance, and he hopes he can buy himself some time today.

Suddenly, a force lifted him up around the waist. Nesario felt his already broken bones shatter even more completely, and the blood that had been accumulating in his lungs rushed into his trachea. Nesario felt that he was one step closer to death.

'I'm about to be eaten by a Nergigante... Is it even possible to revive in this situation? Will I end up as someone else's stink bomb next time I come back...?'

The fact that Nesario still has the leisure to think about this and that shows a unique kind of willpower.

*Pfft*—I think I faintly heard something explode... My nose felt stuffy with blood, and I could also smell some kind of smoke...

Chapter Eighty-Seven: "Unyielding"

'I think I was instantly killed by Nergigante? Damn it... I was careless.'

'But it's okay... next time we meet, I definitely won't give it any chance.'

'Did that Azure Star guy escape? She didn't get a second chance; it would be such a shame she was killed by Nergigante.'

'Speaking of which, isn't the research team's logistics and battlefield support terrible? They're leaving such a huge monster to Azure Star all by himself.'

As Nesario drifted into consciousness, he muttered to himself, waiting to open his eyes and see the first rays of sunlight. His tasks for the day... oh! He remembered now, it was to inspect the training grounds.

According to Ms. Angelia, this exercise is of paramount importance. Those who perform exceptionally well will have the opportunity to receive tutelage from the school, while those with serious problems may even be expelled. Therefore, all aspects of the exercise are crucial, and the venue is no longer the small space within the school grounds.

It's a more upscale place, and today's task is to inspect it.

Familiarizing oneself with the location beforehand can be a great help, so the battle actually begins at this moment.

"Why isn't he awake yet?! Did I oversleep?! That brat Fisher didn't even wake me up..."

—Nesario!

—Nesario meow! Don't give up!