CHAPTER 124 – AERIAL DRAGON COMBAT
CHARLOTTE MARGARET
“All Windwalker Crew, to battle stations! I repeat, all Windwalker Crew, to battle stations!”
As Hiraya's urgent command reverberated throughout the airship, I felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins. She swiftly equipped herself with a pistol and handed me another, her actions decisive amidst the chaos unfolding around us.
"Here, Charlotte! Use this until you retrieve your sniper rifle!" Hiraya's voice cut through the clamor, snapping me out of my daze.
"Y-Yeah, got it!" I replied, my hands trembling as I accepted the weapon.
Another deafening explosion rocked the ship, threatening to send me tumbling to the floor. But Hiraya's firm grip on my wrist steadied me, preventing a fall.
"Charlotte, are you okay?" Hiraya's concern was palpable.
"I'm okay! I-I'll head to the battle station now!" I stammered, my heart pounding in my chest as I made a hasty retreat from the captain's cabin.
With Hiraya at my heels, we dashed towards the viewing deck of the airship. There, the horrifying sight of dragons encircling the Windwalker greeted us. Ten of the monstrous creatures soared through the sky, their massive forms casting ominous shadows as they unleashed torrents of fireballs upon us.
"Damn them!" I exclaimed, my grip tightening on the pistol as I took aim at the airborne assailants. Despite my best efforts, the magical bullets I fired seemed to have little effect against the formidable creatures, bouncing harmlessly off their scales.
Amidst the chaos, Hiraya sprang into action, conjuring a vibrant green magical circle from her palm. Two flaming, bluish-green magical missiles materialized within it, streaking through the air with deadly accuracy to strike down two of the menacing dragons.
Meanwhile, Kate, Mariko, Gaeun, and Earvin wasted no time, opening the hatch in the hangar and announcing their departure over their earpieces.
"Kate Zephyrus, launching!" Kate's voice rang out.
"Activating Vesryn Pulse!" Mariko's shout followed as she touched her glowing chest.
"Gaeun Medizin, heading out!" Gaeun added her voice to the chorus.
"Activating Vesryn Pulse!" Earvin echoed, his chest also aglow with power.
In response, twin beams of brilliant light erupted from the airship's hangar, heralding the arrival of two majestic dragons—the Warflame Dragon and the Kyubi Dragon. Guided by their respective Dragon Lords, the formidable creatures soared into the fray, ready to turn the tide of battle.
"Flame Revolver!" Mariko’s command resounded, and her Warflame Dragon's mechanical arm transformed into a colossal revolver, unleashing a barrage of flaming bullets. Each shot found its mark, causing enemy dragons to plummet from the sky with each thunderous impact.
"Lightning Bubble Bomb!" Earvin intoned, his Kyubi Dragon conjuring large bubbles crackling with electrical energy. These deadly orbs pursued the enemy dragons relentlessly, exploding upon contact and sending them spiraling earthward like charred, electrocuted birds.
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As the battle raged on, Hiraya continued to unleash her Trailblaze Arrows with unwavering determination, her enhanced powers proving instrumental in decimating six of the enemy dragons thus far.
Meanwhile, a sense of frustration gnawed at me as I realized my own lack of contribution to the fight. While Kate, Gaeun, and even to some extent, Hiraya basked in the power of the Vesryn Pulse, I felt increasingly sidelined. Regret flooded my thoughts as I lamented not retrieving my sniper rifle from my room earlier.
Envy crept into my heart as I watched my friends, united with their loved ones and empowered by the Vesryn Pulse, fighting alongside each other with unwavering resolve. In contrast, I felt like the odd one out, a solitary figure amidst the camaraderie of the team.
Just as I contemplated laying down my guard, confident in my allies' ability to handle the threats, a telepathic cry from the Warflame Dragon shattered the relative calm.
"What the hell!?" Kate exclaimed, her voice tinged with alarm.
"What is it, Kate?" Hiraya's concern was palpable.
"This dragon is multiplying!" The Warflame Dragon's cry sent a shiver down my spine.
"What?" I gasped in disbelief.
True to its words, the Warflame Dragon unleashed a barrage of flaming bullets towards one of the black dragons. Yet, instead of vanquishing its target, the black dragon split into two identical copies upon its demise, rising again to join the fray with eerie precision.
As the situation escalated, Mariko joined the fray, unleashing torrents of fire missiles from her hands to combat the multiplying black dragons. Despite her efforts, the enemy's numbers seemed to grow exponentially, as each defeated foe spawned multiple copies in its wake.
"Damn it!" Mariko's cry echoed through the chaos as she managed to incinerate one of the black dragons. Yet, her success was short-lived as three identical adversaries emerged from the ashes, hurling powerful fireballs towards the airship.
"How many of them are there?" Earvin's voice was tinged with frustration as he swiftly commanded his Kyubi Dragon to reinforce Mariko and the Warflame Dragon in their struggle against the multiplying threat.
Summoning his draconic companion's formidable powers, Earvin unleashed a devastating attack—his Ninefold Lightning Bolt. With a thunderous roar, nine tails crackled with electric energy, each unleashing a bolt of lightning that struck down nine of the black dragons in one fell swoop, sending them plummeting into the ocean below.
But their victory was short-lived, as a fresh wave of ten black dragons emerged from the western skies, their fiery onslaught raining down upon the beleaguered airship.
"We should have taken down a hundred of these dragons by now!" The Warflame Dragon's telepathic cry resonated with frustration and desperation.
Amidst the chaos, Hiraya's resolve remained unshaken. Activating her Wings of Light, she leaped from the airship's deck, her determination driving her to confront one of the black dragons head-on.
"Air Trampoline!" Hiraya's voice rang out as she created a magical circle beneath her feet, multiplying the force of her next jump. With a swift, graceful motion, she dove towards her target, delivering a powerful kick that sent the black dragon hurtling into the ocean depths below.
With a deft maneuver, Hiraya activated her green Wings of Light, propelling herself back onto the deck just as a horde of identical black dragons descended upon the airship from the western horizon, their numbers seemingly endless.
"It's a Conquest Dragon!" Hiraya's cry pierced through the chaos, her words carrying a weight of urgency and concern. "We need to get away, or else the Windwalker is done for!"
"A Conquest Dragon?" I echoed, my voice filled with confusion and dread.
Before Hiraya could offer an explanation, a sudden barrage of powerful shots rent the air, filling the eastern skies with billowing black smoke. Through the haze, we spotted an aircraft carrier looming in the distance, devoid of any identifying flags, leaving us puzzled as to its intentions.
As the projectiles exploded once more, thickening the veil of darkness above, realization dawned upon Hiraya.
"Those are smoke artillery!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with alarm. "Kate, Gaeun, head towards the smoke screen! ULYSSES, navigate the airship towards that black cloud!"
"Roger that, Captain Misteltein," the AI responded dutifully.
With the airship hurtling towards the ominous cloud at full speed, the smoke enveloped us, shrouding everything in a suffocating darkness that seemed to constrict my lungs with each breath.