Chapter 221

Why does the autumn sky seem so high?

Is there a reason—like the air being clear, or the clouds forming higher than usual? Perhaps. But the sky I see now is certainly high and clear, yet there isn’t a single cloud in sight.

Then why do I feel that this sky is “high”? That, I couldn’t understand.

“…I see. This must be a premonition. I felt it while looking at this sky—like something might come from the far above. You two should stay alert.”

“Yes, according to the ‘theory,’ it wouldn’t be surprising if something appeared.”

“W-what do you mean? Something’s coming? From the sky?”

Somehow, even the surrounding forest seems more distant than usual.

This clearing feels unusually wide, as if it were meant to be a battlefield.

“This dungeon was designed with the theme of forests and autumn. The enemies that appear may relate to that. Melt, keep in mind using fire.”

“Y-yeah! Fire… maybe Treants or spirit-tree type monsters…”

“I see. Then proceed cautiously—”

At that moment, as if confirming my suspicion, a sound like a piercing scream—resembling the wind—echoed from above.

Looking up, I could faintly see the silhouette of a creature flying across the sky in all directions. Its cry reminded me of the “Death Whistle,” a whistle-like scream.

“That… its size is huge even from this distance. Sorry, it’s outside the range of my [Observation Eye]. Shizuma, what about you?”

“I still can’t see. I might need to be closer to fully visualize it, or maybe I need to observe it in full view.”

Even from this distance, I could tell.

The tail, the wings… at this scale… it could only be a dragon.

“Melt, it might be a dragon. I’ll tell you which element to use, so attack with magic along with Seale. I’ll hit some suitable part directly.”

“Y-yeah! Dragon… Forest… Autumn… I can’t identify the specific type…”

“Shizuma, I leave it to you.”

My [Divine Eye] isn’t just for analyzing terrain or targets.

It can create multiple new weak points on a target’s body.

In other words, it can give them weak points, allowing concentrated attacks that can severely damage them depending on where we strike.

First, targeting the base of the wings and the legs as weak points should greatly reduce its mobility.

I fix my gaze on the dragon, which is gliding slowly while descending.

Eventually—

“Aerial Skull Dragon”

“The Sky Dragon, decayed and carrying countless grudges”

“Extremely high flying ability, high magic resistance, and robust skeletal structure”

“As an undead, weak to light and fire, yet still overwhelmingly durable”

“Everyone, the target is a Skull Dragon—a bone dragon! Weak to fire and light! High magic resistance and tough! We aim for a short, decisive strike rather than a long battle!”

“Melt, I’ll create a light field around us. Try to fight within it—your attacks will gain the light attribute.”

“R-right! Light… that’s magic I can’t control well…”

“Sheele, prepare your ultimate technique. If possible, hit it while it’s still in the air.”

“Understood. After casting, we’ll retreat temporarily. Is that okay?”

“No problem. We’ll strip its mobility quickly, then I’ll go for a big strike too.”

With high durability, only a major strike will deal sufficient damage.

And Melt should be able to dodge the dragon’s attacks once its mobility is restricted.

…One concern: as an undead, it might have attacks beyond physical means.

“If it’s autumn, it’s not because the trees are naturally dead…”

“Shizuma?”

“The trees in this dungeon were withering. If the leaves falling are due to the dragon…”

“! Shizuma, prepare poison-resistant potions, please.”

“No, let’s go all out. Melt, Sheele! Take this and drink it immediately.”

I pulled out the most powerful elixir currently available—luxurious, but necessary. I had given this to Melt’s friends before.

“Elixir of the Grand Cathedral +15”

• Fully restores health
• Cures all status effects, including incapacitation
• Grants status effect resistance
• Lasts until logout
• Removes death penalties

Drinking this grants complete resistance to status effects.

However, I noticed one tricky part: “Lasts until logout.”

In the real world, does this mean until death? If so, it’s convenient and powerful, but it carries the responsibility of affecting a person’s life span.

Well, even so, I would make them drink it.

If the Skull Dragon has poisonous attacks that severely damage plants, Seale or Melt could be irreversibly harmed.

In that case, they must drink it.

“Shizuma! I drank the potion!”

“I’m done too! Starting the ultimate technique now!”

I switched my sword to a massive blade—focusing on a single heavy strike.

It’s good to have one weapon like this. I also stacked every possible buff on myself.

With my [Divine Eye], I applied weak points to the base of the dragon’s wings and legs.

It must have recognized us. The Skull Dragon doesn’t dive yet, but it circles quietly, gradually descending toward us.

Once in range… should I strike first? No, Sheele’s technique should activate first.

Sheele won’t miss. The dragon will take massive damage and begin to fall.

I strike that spot, and Melt attacks during the opening.

With light attribute attacks, damage should go through.

“Melt, the Skull Dragon should fall. I’ll strike first. Then, you approach—if the wings are intact, hit the base of the wings; if not, target the legs.”

“Got it! I’ll attack the legs and wings exposed in Seale’s magic field.”

“Sheele, signal before activating.”

“Yes! …Four seconds remaining.”

The attack range is likely limited.

The Skull Dragon is still gliding high, but with [Divine Eye] active, Sheele should soon see it clearly.

I swing the greatsword—absurdly heavy, enormous.

Even larger than the greatsword Silent uses, bigger than me.

I hold it at waist height and judge where it will crash.

“Going! ‘Wisdom of the Moon-Piercer’!”

Sheele declared, firing a massive arrow into the sky with an explosion-like sound.

As an anti-air technique, it was limited in the game, but it had the highest power among the three hunter ultimates.

The massive arrow changed color twice mid-flight and struck the Skull Dragon directly.

I saw it. The right half of its body crumbled instantly.

It stopped gliding, lost balance, and began plummeting straight down.

I lined up my strike, timing it perfectly.

“Then, me too…”

I swung, using Gale Break.

This technique uses all buffs most effectively. Even with full buffs, no attack surpasses its power.

…Maybe, depending on the situation.

I observed the falling giant.

A skeletal dragon as large as a jumbo jet.

The impact alone could blow away anything nearby—could I survive?

“Sheele, create a defensive field around me just in case.”

“R-right!”

Her voice weak after her ultimate, but I have to ensure my survival.

A semi-transparent blue wall formed around me, softening the impact.

I timed the swing of my absurdly heavy sword with the falling dragon.

“Gale Break!”

Thanks to my growth, the strain on my body felt lighter.

My strike—the pressure, the vacuum blade—sliced through the shockwave and dust from the Skull Dragon’s fall, hitting its massive body squarely.

The sound shook the surrounding trees, scattering the remaining leaves.

The strike’s impact rivaled the crash itself.

At the same time, my strength left me, and I dropped to one knee.

“Melt, go for it!”

“Got it!”

At the same time, Melt unleashed flames at the crash site, clearing away the dust and debris.

In an instant, the smoke ignited, swirling around the Skull Dragon’s entire body.

With the smoke cleared by fire, Melt ran forward, weaving fearlessly through the gaps in the flames.

Suddenly, blue-tinged smoke burst from the Skull Dragon’s body, as if extinguishing the flames.

For a brief moment, I panicked—could that be a poisonous attack that damages plants? But Melt pressed on calmly.

Without hesitation, she slashed at the dragon’s legs as it tried to rise.

Thanks to Sheele’s earlier magic, the pair of beautifully glowing daggers struck with a high-pitched clang, dealing precise damage.

Surprisingly, even after my strike and Seale’s, the creature was still moving.

Then, time for a finishing blow with the light attribute.

I forced myself to stand, driving the greatsword forward as if pulling it along, and charged.

“Melt, I’m hitting it with a big one now!”

“Understood! Its wings are moving—cut through the body!”

“Shizuma, I’ll shoot for the head. Gas seems to be coming from there.”

Sheele, revived, had her bow ready again.

Melt drove her dagger into the base of the wings struggling to flap.

A shrill scream, like slicing through wind, rang out. But just a moment later, Sheele’s arrow struck the dragon’s head with explosive force, twisting its neck violently and sending its head, which had been trying to intercept me, in the wrong direction.

The wings and head were no longer obstacles. I brought my strike down on the torso.

“Earth-Rending Slash ‘Falling Fang’!”

Once, as Silent, I had used this strike to cleave a mutated Owlbear in two.

This attack isn’t just for damage—it destroys and severs the body clearly.

I slammed it down from midair, letting gravity aid the fall.

The immense impact traveled through my hands gripping the sword, and my elbows screamed under the force.

“HyoOOOOOOOOOOOBoooooAAAAAA!”

Even so, I felt the gratifying snap of something breaking.

Nearby, a piercing scream echoed.

Looking up as I landed, the middle of the Skull Dragon’s body—the spine—was completely severed.

We pulled back and called Melt over.

Exhausted, Sheele also approached, and the three of us stood ready, observing the Skull Dragon, which continued screaming.

“HyoOOOOOOOOOO!”

The scream weakened.

The severed lower half, including the tail bones thrashing violently on the ground, gradually ceased.

The wings, now shredded beyond usefulness, stopped moving.

Finally, after persisting so long, the Skull Dragon, which had been roaring toward the sky, slowly lowered its neck to the ground.

“…Alright.”

The massive skeletal body sparkled, transforming into particles of light and ascending into the heavens.

Left behind were three large orbs—likely drops from the dragon.

One glowed deep crimson—

“A Dungeon Core…! So this was the boss of the dungeon!”

“Oh… it’s not a Dungeon Master, huh…”

“I see… we should investigate the Empire’s dungeons more closely.”

I picked up a Dungeon Core about the size of a melon and handed it to Seale beside me.

Next, I lifted a large, beautiful orb beside the core.

Could it really be… a large White Opal?

“What’s that!? It’s so pretty! I’ve never seen one before… it’s different from a pearl…”

“I see… because it was a giant skeleton, the associated opal is large?”

I vaguely recalled that opals can form from fossilized shells or bones.

…An orb this large must be worth a fortune.

“Here, Melt, you take this one.”

“Yay! Sparkly! Just like the stars we saw last night—so many colors!”

“Yeah, like an aurora. Solidified aurora colors… beautiful.”

Melt happily examined the large opal from every angle.

I picked up the last orb—a jagged, glass-like mass, roughly spherical, though rough, yet transparent.

“This… could this be that thing I’ve seen before…?”

I used my [Divine Eye] to analyze the mysterious glass-like item.

“Remembrance: ‘Dream of the White Witch’”

• No meaning in this world, tied to another memory
• An irregularity caused by extreme involvement
• The trajectory of a witch who overcame a tragic fate to grasp happiness

Another mysterious item, with no apparent effect.

It’s visually beautiful, so perhaps I’ll collect more and display them at home.

“Phew… good work, both of you. As for this Dungeon Core, my [Observation Eye] found some interesting information. I’ll explain it once we return to the inn.”

“Got it! By the way, how do we get back?”

“Hmm… I think we can just go through the tree hollow like usual.”

There are still things I’m curious about, but with this, Heart-Piercing Eternal Autumn Sorrow is cleared.

It was a tough dungeon in a different sense than before… but I’m relieved the final opponent wasn’t a Dungeon Master.

Feeling the fatigue throughout my body, I walked through the forest, even more desolate from the aftermath of battle.

Now… once we get back, I should head to the communal bath… hopefully the rain has stopped by now.