CHAPTER 41 — " DO OR DIE : WHEN THE DRAGON DESCENDS"
The scream came first.
Sharp.Broken.Cut off halfway.
ELSEWHERE — ANOTHER ACADEMY
The forest on the eastern ridge was burning.
Not with fire—but with fear.
Five students from Ironstar Martial Institute stood in disarray, armor cracked, weapons shaking in their hands. Blood soaked the ground beneath their boots.
"Captain—! We can't—!"
The earth shuddered.
THUUUUM—
Trees snapped like twigs.
A colossal shadow moved through the smoke.
Its scales were dark iron-gray, layered like plates of ancient armor. Each breath it exhaled carried heat and pressure that crushed the lungs.
A Dragon-tier monster.
Not young.Not wounded.Not restrained.
A fully grown Ironclad Dreadwyrm.
Its eyes glowed amber as it lowered its head.
One swipe of its tail—
BOOOOOM—!
Three students were sent flying, crashing into rock faces like broken dolls.
"DISTRESS SIGNAL— NOW!!"
A trembling hand smashed a crystal into the ground.
The signal flared red into the sky.
The Dreadwyrm roared.
The sound alone ruptured eardrums.
Just as its jaws opened—
A massive barrier slammed down between the students and the monster.
CLANG—!
Three instructors descended from the sky, a combined formation sealing the area.
"Retreat complete!" one shouted.
The students were dragged back, barely conscious, armor ruined, confidence shattered.
As the instructors forced the dragon back—
The Dreadwyrm let out a furious roar.
Not in defeat.
But in annoyance.
The Ironstar team had survived.
But they had lost.
Completely.
AZURE DRAGON TEAM
THUUUUM—
The sound was closer now.
Much closer.
Leaves shook violently.
Birds fled in screaming flocks.
Ling Yifan's pupils contracted.
"…Dragon-tier."
Bai Qianlan felt it—the pressure crawling over her skin.
"This isn't a young one."
Chen Wulian slowly exhaled.
"…We can retreat, right?"
Long Hao turned his head sharply.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
"…Why not?" Ouyang Xue'er asked.
Long Hao's gaze moved past them.
"The wind changed."
Another THUD.
The ground split.
Something landed.
The trees ahead exploded outward.
A massive form descended from above, wings folding with thunderous weight.
Scales gleamed dull black.Claws sank into stone.Its neck rose slowly, stretching high above the canopy.
The Ironclad Dreadwyrm.
Its presence crushed the air.
Breathing became difficult.
The dragon's eyes locked onto them.
Then—
It turned its head slightly.
Behind them.
A second roar echoed.
The forest behind collapsed.
Their retreat path was gone.
Ling Yifan clenched his spear.
"…It blocked us."
Chen laughed once.
"…Of course it did."
Ouyang Xue'er swallowed.
"…We can't outrun it."
Bai Qianlan's illusions trembled.
"…We can't hide either."
Silence.
Then Long Hao spoke.
"…Then we fight."
NO ESCAPE
Chen Wulian straightened.
"…Captain's call."
All eyes turned to him.
For once, he didn't joke.
"…We don't scatter," Chen said firmly."We don't panic."
He looked at Ling Yifan.
"You take the front."
Ling Yifan nodded instantly.
"I'll draw aggro."
Chen turned to Bai Qianlan.
"Control its vision."
She inhaled.
"…I can distort depth and distance."
"Ouyang," Chen continued,"Freeze joints when you can."
Her frost ignited.
"…I won't miss."
"Long Hao," Chen said last.
Long Hao met his gaze.
"…I'll strike openings."
Chen grinned—tight, fierce.
"Everyone else—support and survive."
Wang Junxie swallowed hard.
"…Understood."
The dragon inhaled.
Its chest glowed faintly red.
Ling Yifan stepped forward.
"…Now."
THE FIRST CLASH
Ling Yifan launched.
Spear flashing like a silver comet.
CLANG—!
The strike hit the dragon's chest—
And bounced.
Sparks flew.
The Dreadwyrm roared and swung its claw.
Ling Yifan barely deflected, skidding backward, boots carving trenches.
"Scales reinforced!" he shouted."Physical resistance high!"
"Copy!" Bai Qianlan replied.
Illusions exploded outward.
Five dragons appeared.
The Dreadwyrm hesitated—
Then crushed one with its tail.
Fake.
Ouyang Xue'er slammed her palms together.
"Freeze—!"
Ice surged up the dragon's legs.
The Dreadwyrm roared again, flexing—
CRACK—!
Ice shattered.
Too strong.
"Joint mobility reduced by 12%!" Zhao Lanyue called.
"Enough," Long Hao said quietly.
He moved.
Not fast.
Not flashy.
He vanished between steps.
Appeared beneath the dragon's neck.
And struck upward.
BOOOOM—!
The impact shook the dragon's head.
It reeled—just slightly.
Everyone froze.
"…It flinched," Chen whispered.
Long Hao landed lightly.
"…Its throat scales are thinner."
The Dreadwyrm roared in rage.
The real battle had begun.
And this time—
No one was coming to rescue them.
[CHAPTER ENDS]