The legendary Moonlight Sculptor

V57C3P1 - Kaybern's Rage

- Worthless humans. Try and resist this!

Kaybern whipped its tail and kicked down the buildings that were raised in Morato, leaving nothing but dust in its wake.

"Kyaah!"

"Run, run away!"

People scattered like ants with each building that crumbled.

When they saw Kaybern, they froze in their spots.

- Humans, bearers of the seed of sin. Uphold my mighty presence until your dying moments.

Kaybern enjoyed watching the terrified humans.

- Gravity reinforcement!

At once, the weight of everything in sight became 5 times greater.

The players were crushed to the ground, the buildings crashing and demolished simultaneously. The pillars broke in pieces and scattered everywhere.

"The magic reached all the way here…"

"Hurry and get out of here!"

Morata had the highest population in all of Versailles.

The novice players that comprised most of the population did not evacuate the city.

The hope of witnessing both Weed and Bard Ray in action gathered even the people from the Central continent and Rohaim Kingdom.

Some of the players that gathered over several days had escaped out the city gate, but the majority had ignored the evacuation order and stood right inside.

"Uwaah!"

"H-have to get to Bingryeong Square…"

"My house! The financing isn't over yet."

"What is this? Seriously!"

- Flame Shock!

Kaybern's magic ripped through the city and killed close to a thousand players and the impact caused hundreds of buildings to collapse.

The players outside the range of the magic spell began to run in panic.

- Humans, you are amusing. Faster, run faster!

Kaybern set up a wall of fire and trapped the players. Then it swung its forelegs and tail, continuing the slaughter.

- Chain Flames of Blood!

The players caught on fire and exploded.

When the streets were finally devoid of players, the Black Dragon destroyed the nearest buildings and murdered the players that scrambled outside!

Morata was quickly becoming a ruin like the middle of a movie of natural disaster.

"We are going to get caught!"

"This is nonsense."

"Let's get away for now!"

The players too knew that the battle was turning for the worst because of themselves.

There were some that smartly turned towards Bingryeong Square, but most couldn't run far before they got snatched by Kaybern.

- Magic Storm!

The power of mana developed into a twister under the dragon's magic.

Despite being an intermediate level magic spell, it created a magic storm that spanned over dozens of meters in radius, destroying structures in its path.

"Damn it all!"

Reverse bolted outside as soon as the building in which he was hiding began to shake violently, as he had to avoid being buried under it.

"Of all places in this huge city, why does it have to be my house?!"

In a normal, peaceful timeline, he would have observed the battle in reality while drinking a cup of sweet hot chocolate.

However, he started Royal Road in Morata and he wanted to experience a massive war entirely. His desire led to the purchase of a house near the Hill of the Artist with an open view. He felt with his skin the saying that one needed to own a house in Morata to be truly associated as a citizen of the city.

The house that he decorated with ornaments from the market was destroyed by Kaybern's magic spell and now all that was left was survival.

"I hope I can safely get away from this."

He had faith in the few equipment he had bought with real currency.

The Mustang Boots that he purchased off the auction site boosted the acceleration greatly once the wearer began running.

"I just have to avoid being seen. Then I need to get away as far as possible."

Since other players were around, he believed he would get to safety if he turned into a nearby corner of the street. Still, despite how distant the dragon was, he was made to realise just how low level he was.

You have confronted an absolute terror that paralyses even the soul.

Health points decreased by 94%.

Mana has been locked.

All skills are silenced.

Your body has been immobilized.

Terrifying pressure is being applied.

540 health points decrease per second.

"What the hell is this?"

He felt like a mouse running from a cat.

The low level players died on their own just by being in proximity of the dragon!

"For all the ways to die, that is just…"

Reverse squirmed to free himself, quickly realizing that it was futile and gave up all hope of survival. He had to accept the fate of standing frozen and get swept away by Kaybern's spell aimed at other players.

By the looks of it, other novice players shared the same fate.

"Hahaha. The dragon is really strong."

"agreed. I can't really ask to be saved."

Players that were able to run at all were not complete novice players, but had some backbone.

The ones rooted to the ground or taking laborious steps were undoubtedly novice players.

Reverse and the other novices exchanged eye contact and smiled bitterly. Magic was in control of the surrounding and it seemed impossible to survive.

"I believe we've met before. Aren't you the man next door?'

"Yes I am."

"It seems this is our end."

"I planned to spectate in Morata, but I guess I have to watch through the broadcast."

He conversed with the neighbors in lost hope, but it was that moment!

- Listen up you smoked lizard! I, Weedhand, who robbed your house, am here!

A powerful shout echoed from far away!

Kaybern in the middle of stomping a building with its forepaw turned in the direction of the shout.

- You robbed my lair? Dwarf!

The Black Dragon spanned its massive wings.

Powerful winds swooped through its surroundings and put out some of the fire.

- I was looking for you even if it meant killing every last dwarf on this planet. At last I found you!

The dragon did not linger on the players it was slaughtering up until that moment. It immediately surged hundreds of meters into the sky and flew to the origin of the dwarf's voice.

< The excruciating pressure has been lifted.

34 health points will recover per second. >

The novices caught their breath and spoke.

"Are we alive?"

"The dragon left."

"You're right. We barely survived."

Reverse could not move just yet, but he did escape death. Soon enough the paralysis would lift. More importantly, he saw players climbing to the roofs of the hideouts.

The players that hid and ran rushed out to the streets.

"Weed-nim! Weed-nim called out Kaybern"

"Woah! Kaybern is about to attack."

"It's Weed vs. Kaybern!"

***

Weed expected that Kaybern would react.

'I'm sure the appearance of the lair robber drew some attention.'

He used a roar to reach Kaybern's ears.

- Listen up you smoked lizard! I, Weedhand, who robbed your house, am here!

The players screamed, buildings collapsed and magic spells exploded.

All sorts of noises fogged up the battlefield and there was room for some incoherency.

- Kaybern. I'm going to kick your a…

Weed was not even half way from reaching the Hill of the Artist, but he saw Kaybern flying up.

- Dwarf!

It was a sound packed with fury that could be heard all across Morata.

Countless players ran across the vast city.

Kaybern's vengeful dark eyes were projected precisely on Weed.

- I finally found you!

The ground-trembling voice of the dragon was menacing like the boosted audio from a horror film.

The dragon spoke with the blazing buildings of Morata under its black wings.

It was a feeling of intense pressure!

- In the name of dragons, I will shred you into a thousand pieces, dwarf!

Kaybern began its descent immediately after its speech. It was at incredible speed.

"I knew I got its attention, but it's going to be a disaster if I screw this up."

Weed quickly rolled his eyes.

The Hill of the Artist was still quite the distance away and so was the Bingryeong Square. He was caught awkwardly somewhere in the middle of these two locations while Kaybern was flying towards him.

"Kaybern, I too was waiting for you!"

Weed boastfully drew the Loa sword for the time being.

'Me fighting here alone when the army is in position is plain stupid. I have to get away somehow and lure it to the townsquare.'

He collected his breath and loosened the tension in his body.

The weaker players froze up just by looking at the dragon up close, but he was well beyond that level.

He even possessed the title 'The Man Who Confronts the Dragon Fear', and the Lightning Crown was expected to be some help.

'My level and equipment are well prepared. So…'

There was no more time allotted for Weed to think calmly.

Kaybern's shadow clouded over him.

- I will make you suffer dreadfully.

The dragon's rear leg came down like a piledriver from the sky!

Weed tossed his body forward and tumbled.

Shwaaaack!

The sound of its claws ripping through the air was horrendous.

The rear leg attack that missed its target crashed into a three-floor concrete building.

'Dodged one… Eek!'

Weed instantly kicked off the ground and passed through a dimensional gate.

This time the tail smashed by a hair's breadth from him.

The concrete boards of the road cracked and popped into the air and there was no moment to catch his breath.

- I will kill you.

Kaybern descended to ground level and began charging after him.

- I will squash you!

Weed ran on all fours as fast as he could.

"Four-legged sprint!"

As the dragon chased Weed, its wings spread wide and destroyed all the buildings in its way.

Weed was experienced in battles against humans and monsters. But, Kaybern was so massive that its attacks were bigger than Weed's field of view and he was delayed in confirming the type of attack.

Swift Coldwind: It's a tail attack! Leap high!

Crash!

As soon as Weed jumped, the tail swept the ground under him.

Swift Coldwind: It's the mouth this time!

He checked too with his own eyes but it was already tough enough to avoid the attacks.

The avian's assistance was timely.

"Ta-ha!"

Weed spun in midair and soared through the dimensional gate.

Tack!

Kaybern's teeth clacked shut just behind him.

'I can dodge them if I can free myself from the effects of the Dragon Fear.'

The dragon's physical ability was incredible, but its moves were big and simplistic and therefore it was possible to evade by moving early.

If thousands of players were attacking the dragon at once, many would be wiped out with a single attack, but if it was just himself it was possible to escape.

- You can't get away! Glacial Cage!

C-c-crack!

Ice pillars began to protrude around Weed.

"Oh, crap!"

The roads split apart by ice pillars followed by a chain explosion. The ground turned into an ice field in a 300 meter radius.

Glacial Cage freezes your body.

Movement speed decreased by 36%.

Under the curse of the dark magic, your body freezes and begins to rot.

Combat strength decreased by 22%.

Health points decrease by 740 per second for a duration of 25 seconds.

Weed took several more steps before his feet froze to the ground with reduced movement speed. With no other option, he stepped on the ice pillar and leapt.

I caught you this time!

Swift Coldwind: I believe it will be your rear this time.

There was no further explanation, but he knew instinctively of what was coming.

G-g-g-grung!

Kaybern planted its feet into the ground. Then the dragon gaped its mouth wide and threw its body at Weed.

It was a grave moment!

"Call Death Knight Van Hawk, Call Vampire Torido!"

- I have been sum…

- I have arrived to…

(To be continued…)