20 minutes ago…

To initiate 'Operation Death from Above', the Titan Hunters guild and Shooting Stars assembled their remaining priests, priestesses, warlocks, witches, and Epic-tier Mounts. Upon reaching the designated location—a rooftop five stories high and one mile from the motionless dragon—the group of ten whispered urgently among themselves.

"Alright, everyone, thanks for coming!" Tamara Morin announced as the last witch alighted from her Flying Mount. "Shooting Stars and Titan Hunters, please listen to Benjamin! We're all in this together to take that monster down!"

Benjamin Woods, leader of Titan Hunters, towered over the petite Tamara. He took a deep breath and announced, "Guilders! The dragon has wreaked enough havoc on the city, so I'll keep this brief. Split into two groups—Dark Magic Users on my right for Group A, priests on my left for Group B. Move!"

As the groups formed, Benjamin noted their reluctant compliance and the uncertainty in their eyes, which pained him.

"It'll work," Tamara reassured quietly after catching his weary gaze.

"Oh, I'm certain, Ms. Morin," Benjamin replied, massaging his temples. "Just hoping I can play my part."

"You seemed determined just minutes ago," Tamara remarked with a slight smile, patting his arm. "Hold onto that a bit longer, and we'll be fine."

"Yeah..." Benjamin whispered, his gaze fixed not on the dragon but on a distant battle, where buildings collapsed under thick clouds of smog and fiery explosions.

That must be Astrid Bradford, he thought. Wish I had the 'Eagle Eye' Passive Skill like those in the Marksman Class to see it better. But I don’t need it to know she's facing something as formidable as this dragon.

A bitter chuckle escaped him. Why the doubt? Taking down giants is what I do best.

That morning, he had glanced at the ranking charts after someone pointed them out. Seeing Shooting Stars at the bottom was surreal. While some of his peers celebrated their guild's ascension to the top of the city's ranks, Benjamin retreated to his office.

Can’t they see this just means more work, more pressure?

He could handle it—his old job on Earth had been far more stressful.

Shooting Stars’ fame shone so brightly it seemed to blind everyone else on the stage that was Londorus. The only guilds that competed, like Death Bringers, had opted to move away. Those who remained lived in the shadow of Astrid Bradford’s overwhelming presence.

Benjamin checked another list—the 'Individual Power' ranking, where Astrid’s name clung to the seventh spot like an immovable iceberg. He scrolled down to find his own name in 87th place.

As long as my guild excels at something... at taking down Giant Bosses... we'll manage.

Refocusing on the present, he saw the newly formed groups ready to act.

"Guilders, your next orders are simple! Group A, target the dragon’s white head with curses and debuffs. Group B, cleanse and purify the black head. And be cautious—stay clear of the suicide-inducing gas it emits! Just focus on this final task; Tamara and I will handle the rest."

Benjamin rattled off the instructions so quickly he wondered if everyone caught them, but the relief on their faces reassured him.

"That’s it?" one guild member called out, chuckling.

"Count on us, boss!"

"But what if the dragon fires at us?" a youthful voice asked.

"Dodge," Benjamin smirked. "Now, go and clear a path for us so I can bring you the dragon’s heart!"

The Flying Mounts took to the sky, and Benjamin’s laughter rang out as he watched his guild members charge toward their grim task.

"It’s good to see you motivated," Tamara noted, clapping him on the back.

"But of course! In minutes, I'll be Londorus' savior!" he exclaimed.

"True, true," Tamara agreed, then cleared her throat. "Shouldn’t we get going... like, now?"

Benjamin snorted. "I don’t have an Epic-tier Mount. You?"

She blinked, speechless for a moment. "B-But you're a Guild Master!"

"That’s right," he replied, arms crossed. "I usually stay back, coordinating. When we get a mount, I pass it to my top guilders to keep them motivated."

"T-That’s... admirable," Tamara said softly, lowering her eyes. "Sorry if I seemed rude."

"No offense taken, Ms. Morin!" Benjamin chuckled.

Tamara nodded, smiling. "Let me call my Mount then." She summoned a winged, feline beast with a wave of her arm. "Would you like to take the reins, sir?"

"Nah. I’m afraid of heights. We’d never get off the ground."

Tamara’s smile faded. "Eh?"

****

**

*

I don’t feel intimidated by him anymore... nor impressed, Tamara thought as she commanded her purple flying puma to ascend with Benjamin tightly holding onto her waist. And here I was, thinking he looked somewhat attractive while we planned the attack...

"We need to rise above the clouds!" Benjamin instructed through the Party Chat, his voice tinged with disbelief at his own words.

"You're doing great, sir. Just keep your eyes closed, and you'll be fine!"

Below them, the Dragon shifted its focus towards the other guild members flying overhead. Laser beams streaked from its maw, slicing through the sky.

The mounts are quick enough to dodge, but it depends on the rider. We need to be swift, Tamara thought as they ascended.

Lightning crackled nearby, making Benjamin flinch. The clouds above them, charged and black, loomed like a formidable barrier. They broke through into a serene blue sky, the Novus sun still shining impotently over the city below.

I'd forgotten it was still daytime.

"We’ve reached the sky's ceiling, sir," Tamara informed him as Benjamin pressed his face into her back.

"Good. Let's hold here a bit longer, Ms. Morin. We don't want that dragon spotting us."

"Understood," she replied, switching communication channels. Instantly, the voices of the rest of the guilders filled her head, a cacophony of panic and struggle.

(Don't tell me you've run out of mana!)

(I-I can't see this working... Its Magic Resistance is too damn high!)

(No, no, no! You're aiming at the wrong one, you fool--!)

(I think I'm gonna puke…)

(BENNY, LOOK OUT!)

(My god, they killed Benny!)

(That bastard!)

(Why do I suddenly want to strip and curse myself? My whole body itches!)

(Veronika, did you inhale the gas? Hold on, I'll cleanse you!)

(The Eclipse Festival is upon us! G-Grua--)

(Did you see that?! Veronika... with her staff…)

(This isn't working, folks! W-Why did I agree to this suicide mission?! I've got nearly 800,000 G on me! I'm sorry guys, but I’ll--!)

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(Don't you dare quit, Jona!)

(Ignore him! The white head's acting up! It’s actually working!)

(I see it too! What are you doing, Group A?! Stop whining and do your job!)

(Guys--I mean, Group A! Stop with the debuffs, stick to curses!)

(They took down one of the Shooting Stars. I didn’t catch their name.)

(Don't stop now! We're making an impact. Keep at it!)

(The black head looks dizzy. It’s working!)

"Sir!" Tamara cried out to Benjamin.

"Descend. We have a dragon to slay..."

Without hesitation, Tamara commanded her puma to dive, slicing through the clouds with incredible speed.

Soon, the dragon loomed directly below them. A targeting reticle appeared in her vision, helping her adjust their trajectory. "We'll reach our target in fifteen seconds!"

"Roger that," Benjamin responded, extending his right hand to summon his weapon. "Calling Forth—Groothylde, The Sapping Sword."

Tamara glanced at the claymore emerging from its dimensional pocket. Could this be one of the Titan Hunters guild's prized relics?

"NOW!" Benjamin shouted, startling her.

The Puma stretched out its wings to break their fall, and Benjamin leapt from it, making Tamara gasp.

Is he going to be okay? That’s a 700-foot drop!

"DEATH FROM ABOVE!" Benjamin's voice boomed, using gravity and mana to enhance his strike. He pierced the dragon's thick scales and flesh.

Okay, that was impressive, Tamara admitted to herself, smiling despite the tension. She then noticed the gas emanating from the dragon's body.

Focus, Tam!

She slapped her cheeks and ordered her mount to land on the dragon's back. "I'm coming, Benjamin!" she shouted, deactivating her mount with a wave of her hand and sprinting toward her ally while channeling mana. "Greater Light Crafting, Overshield!"

A golden, translucent dome-shaped shield enveloped them just as the dragon's toxic gas closed in.

"Nice timing, Ms. Morin."

"How's it going, sir?" Tamara asked, peering at the purple gas swirling around their shield. The interior quickly darkened. "Lesser Fire Crafting, Flarelight," she whispered, conjuring a small, floating orb of light that illuminated Benjamin's broad shoulders.

"Not well," he murmured, his voice strained. "It’s taking longer than I thought. I can’t get through the muscle layers yet. Here, let me show you..."

He tapped his User Interface, bringing up a video feed showing what appeared to be roots expanding through pink tissue, searching for something.

"Is that...?"

"It’s Groothylde in action," Benjamin explained.

Tamara peeked over his shoulder at the sword. Its wooden blade was entwined with vines that slowly crept up Benjamin's arms.

"I hear two heartbeats," Benjamin muttered. "Makes sense."

"Will that be a problem?"

"Not at all. Watch." He pointed to the video feed, which split as the sentient roots forked into two paths. "You know, Ms. Morin, this sword is practically useless 99% of the time. It requires its wielder to be still and vulnerable... But I’ve stubbornly kept it for two years, knowing its moment would come. After this, it’s going back in my inventory."

Tamara listened intently, but her concern grew as she noticed his HP bar depleting steadily.

"Sir! Your—Is that thing draining your life?"

"Oh, right. Forgot to mention that. It’s the price of wielding Groothylde..."

"How could you forget such a crucial detail? Let me heal you! Lesser Light Conjure, Quick Fix!" Tamara's hands glowed with a warm, golden light as she tried to heal him, but his condition barely improved. "It's no use! You should’ve brought a Healer, you reckless—"

"NO! I needed you, and no one else. Aren’t you known for your Mana Shields?"

Famous? Tamara’s confusion vanished as something heavy slammed against their shield, dispersing the gas momentarily. She looked up to see the dragon's tail poised for another strike.

"I won’t ask if this shield will hold, but a reassurance would be nice..." Benjamin said, catching his breath.

"It’ll hold! Definitely! It could even withstand whatever Astrid Bradford throws at it after a bad day!"

"That’s oddly specific!" Benjamin laughed. "But reassuring!"

A third tail whip cracked the mana shield, which Tamara reinforced with more mana. "Just focus on your task, please!"

"I am, Ms. Morin. And I have good news... I’ve reached its hearts."

Tamara watched the video feed as the roots slowly enveloped both pulsating organs.

And then, a chilling cry tore through the air.

KRYAAAAAAAAAEEEEGH!

Every guilder within earshot clamped their hands over their ears.

"Isn’t it beautiful?!" Benjamin shouted over the dragon's lament. "The sound of a titan realizing it's doomed!"

The dragon spewed fire in desperation, striking the shield with its laser beam for three agonizing seconds.

Above them, guild members flying by commented on the dragon's distress.

(Jeezus! Feels like my head's gonna explode!)

(Romina just passed out!)

(We're done here! Retreat!)

(Ben! Finish it now!)

“I’m—trying..." Benjamin grunted, his expression pained.

Tamara noticed that vines now encased half his body.

"Benjamin, your HP is at 10%!"

"Yeah... Let’s drop the formalities... Call me Ben. Deal?"

"Quick Fix! Quick Fix!" she cried, her hands flashing with light as she attempted to heal him.

"It’s no use... Groothylde prevents healing... And at this rate... My HP will run out before we can finish—"

"We’re a team, right?!" Tamara cut in, rushing to grasp the sword's hilt.

Instantly, dizziness and numbness overwhelmed her.

I bet even my real body is feeling this...

"Ms. Morin!" Benjamin exclaimed, seeing her falter.

"Tam... Call me Tam..."

"Are you sure about this, Tam?!"

"Yes... Let’s finish this together..." she murmured faintly.

"Alright! Can I leave the right heart to you?"

"Sure... What should I do?"

"Just close your eyes and focus on telling Groothylde to crush it! Let’s target one heart each."

"Got it..."

Concentrate... Concentrate...

(Ben! What’s taking so long?!)

(The dragon’s losing it! It’s going berserk!)

Focus, Tamara... Focus...

(There goes my favorite tea shop…)

Groothylde's vines tightened around Tamara's slender arms, painfully squeezing.

(Look at its HP! It's dropping!)

(Keep it up, Benjamin, Tamara!)

(Hmm... It’s heading towards the Big Beth. So... Let’s bet! What will happen first? Will the dragon die, or will it smash the clock to—?)

"NOT ON MY WATCH!" Tamara shouted, her grip on the sword's hilt tightening as if she were directly crushing the dragon's heart.

The video feed displayed the right heart being pulverized by the constricting roots. Tamara then focused on the left, achieving the same result soon after. The dragon emitted a final whimper and plummeted at the base of Londorus’ clock tower.

As the toxic gas dispersed along with the mana shield, and the curse that had drawn the stormy clouds, Tamara gasped for air, her face flushed and sweaty.

"We did it..."

"Good job, Shooting Star’s First Officer."

"We couldn't have done it without your special weapon, Titan Hunter’s Guild Master."

"It did the job, huh? This old relic actually saved Londorus’ most cherished monument."

"Thank God..." Tamara breathed a sigh of relief.

"Would you... like to have a drink later tonight?" Benjamin blurted out, his cheeks reddening. Realizing what he'd just suggested, he quickly looked away, clearing his throat. "The Titan Hunters have been saving a special brew... We could enjoy it while celebrating, so... Ahem... Tell Astrid Bradford your whole guild is invited."

"Homebrew beer?" Tamara asked, her voice raspy as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "WE’D LOVE TO..."

"Alright..." he said, his smile nervous. "Let me add you to my friend list then."

"Sure!" Tamara squealed, opening her Social Tab.

A notification with an exclamation mark icon immediately caught her attention.

What’s this?

From Oscar: They want Alan.

Huh? Alan? And who are ‘they’? Damn it, Oscar, why are you being so cryptic—?

The memory of Astrid’s order from the day before struck Tamara like a hammer.

"I’ll leave you in charge of protecting him... I don’t want a repeat of last night... or EVER."

With a shock running down her spine, she realized she had completely forgotten about him. And what does this disaster have to do with him?!

"Do you hear that?" Benjamin inquired, scanning their surroundings with narrowed eyes.

"What now?!" she exclaimed, then heard it too.

A faint thump, growing louder.

A slight rumble, emanating from something below them.

No... It can’t be...

The skin on the dragon’s back split open, revealing a giant, oval eye underneath.

"We have to get out of here!" Tamara thought desperately, realizing she had lost her voice as her body became paralyzed. She struggled to look at Benjamin, who seemed to be experiencing the same paralysis. Please, no...

(What the hell is happening?!) a guilder shouted over the Party Chat. (Don’t tell me that thing has a Second Phase?!)

(Look! The sky is going crazy!)

(Is it just me, or does this look apocalyptic?)

(Benjamin and Tamara are still down there! We have to rescue—)

A system message suddenly appeared in Tamara’s field of vision.

NO SIGNAL

That’s not good...

Tamara mustered all her strength to look up, witnessing a blood-colored sky and strange, halo-like loops floating above the dragon’s corpse. Then, a third dragon head, purple in hue, emerged from the giant eye, throwing Tamara and Benjamin aside.

The new head directed its snout towards the bizarre phenomena in the sky and emitted a melodious, almost singing cry.

Unable to move, Tamara stared at the sky, her expression bittersweet. Damn it... I have to inform Astrid about Oscar’s message... I have to warn Alan... I have to... She sighed. How can something so terrifying produce such a beautiful sound?

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

I’m going to need a full barrel of beer after this...

The dragon’s body glowed briefly before exploding in a bright, dome-shaped blast that rapidly enveloped the city block, and then the next, and the next.

The few hundred users watching the event via the Navinet began flooding the chat.

Bromoment: Duuuude! Did that thing just explode?!!!

Monstaconnoisseur: Twin-Dragon uses Explosion.

Bernilda: It’s the Nuke Dragon! It was true!

Risdu: No way that happened in the middle of the city!

Nikolee: That mushroom cloud looks sick…

Rastafaar: Seriously, developers, why would you program such a thing?

Akakaka: Guys, is it normal that I’m shaking right now? Seriously, it won’t stop.

Elnene: That’s because that hit too close to home.

Elnene: Did it happen in your home country too?

Thetruhtishr: Where DIDN’T it happen?