“Crunch,” the flaming wreck of the motorcycle was trampled under Noah’s combat boots. Eric sheathed his axe and drew two daggers—one a stiletto and the other a kukri—in each hand. Even if Noah fully transformed into a dragon, a heavy combat axe was ill-suited to striking a swift, small target. The stiletto spun once over Eric’s knuckles as if to show off.

“I’ll peel away your scales.”

Noah Lühr possessed an advanced Draconic Transformation skill. Unlike ordinary support-type hunters, his combat prowess was also enhanced. After all, a dragon’s hide was akin to wearing armor.

But Eric was a seasoned S-Rank hunter. Though dragon scale types varied, those like Noah’s could have their defense lowered by targeting the gaps. He had fought powerful dragons before—many on S-Rank dungeon runs under Guildmaster Turschen’s command—and had even beheaded an Undead Dragon more than once. What concerned him now was something else.

Eric glanced at Guild Leader Haeyeon standing on the pier’s pillar.

“You’re not on the guest list. Where’s Chohwa-woon?”

Haeyeon Guild Leader seemed absorbed in his own communications, showing no sign of intervention. So Eric need not worry. He leveled his needle-thin stiletto and activated a skill: Tailgrip, a combat-assist that locked onto a target’s movements. Then he withdrew a small vial from his inventory and popped it into his cheek—an hour-long «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» slow-release antidote. Coupled with his poison-resistance ring, he could withstand even S-Rank venom.

Being a hunter famed for facing Undead in France, Eric also carried robust curse-resistance gear. Both his weapons bore a regeneration-sappling effect. The weapons themselves slowed an enemy’s self-healing. Ideal against endlessly regenerating Undead, these enhancements also worked wonders on hunters who could self-regenerate.

In contrast, Noah brandished no weapons or items save for his chain-glove gauntlet. The lightness of his stance made Eric frown.

“Now that you’re officially affiliated, there’s no reason to indulge you!”

In the past, he’d done tasks at other guilds’ request—grudgingly swallowing his pride lest he lose future commissions. But now Noah belonged to some remote ranch collective in another land.

Screech—metal fragments of the bike warped under Eric’s weighted step. Noah tilted his head and easily dodged the shard hurled like a throwing star. Simultaneously, Eric lunged forward.

Noah’s glove-clad hand intercepted the stiletto’s thrust. Several iron links extended, coiling around the blade with a harsh creak. The attack was blocked, but Eric remained composed: he retracted the stiletto as he swung the kukri. Short as a dagger but denser than a longsword, it sliced through air and sent Noah soaring.

If Noah had jumped, his landing zone would be hard to control—but instead of fully rising,

Fwoom!

He unfurled his wings in a single, forceful beat. The broad wings burst from his back, pushed air downward, then vanished. Noah rocketed over Eric’s head. Upon landing behind him—

Smack!

“No!” Eric winced as Noah’s tail whipped across his back. Caught off guard by the follow-through attack, Eric recovered quickly, pushing off the sand and sprinting forward. He created distance and turned.

“This Draconic Transformation is tricky.”

He’d fought bipedal dragons in humanoid form before. But none who shifted body parts so fluidly. Noah drew his tail in, and met Eric’s gaze in silence.

‘Indeed… it helps.’

Han Yuhyun’s guidance had greatly aided Noah’s mastery of partial transformation in real combat. Riet, who shared the same skill, lacked the teaching gift—believing he’d learn simply by practice. But Han Yuhyun, perhaps as guild leader or influenced by protector Han Yujin, had given detailed advice and conducted educational sparring.

“But you still lack any real offensive skill!”

Stat and skill gaps were unbridgeable. Eric tensed, bent his knees, and sprang at Noah.

[Song Director says he’s here to sell cigarettes.]

“…What?”

Han Yuhyun’s eyebrows shot up. He was already annoyed that his brother had offered cigarettes—and now he planned to peddle them.

[I’m just as incredulous… It seems Chohwa-woon didn’t accompany him.]

“Understood. I’ll handle it here.”

[Wait. ‘Handle it’?]

“If he came of his own free will, he’s asking to be killed.”

Han Yujin sighed over the comm at his brother’s matter-of-fact tone.

[He’s at least on the list, and he holds U.S. citizenship. Officially, China cooperated in rescuing me—t hey’re all eyes there. We can’t just let him go. We owe them a solid favor—but the first day is too soon.]

Reluctantly nodding at his brother’s counsel, Han Yuhyun replied, “Got it.”

[What happened to that French hunter?]

He watched Eric and Noah clash. Noah spun halfway, smoothly evading, then reached out. Just as Eric tried to graze him, Noah’s talons extended, raking a deep slash across Eric’s shoulder.

“No need to worry.”

Noah could handle that slight wound on his own—and he would.

Thud! A heavy mace slammed into the sand, throwing a plume of grains skyward. Eric soon abandoned his daggers; Noah’s movements were too fluid to track. The problem was the unpredictable partial transformations—claws, wings, tail—intermittent and feinted, too hard to anticipate. It was simpler to rely on brute force.

“All you do is scratch!”

Rock-like growths jutted from Eric’s limbs. His arms seemed encased in stone—a skill trading speed for great defense. Noah’s claws could be shrugged off by those arms alone.

“No true offensive power makes you a half-baked S-Rank!”

Boss monsters couldn’t be felled by evasion alone—dungeons required killing the monsters. That was why combat hunters were valued. Support and healers were welcome aids for safer, faster runs—but without combat, progression stalled.

“Supports can’t do it alone!”

Whum! The mace’s arc dug trenches through sand and back-swept waves. Noah lightly stepped onto the mace’s head, using its momentum to vault into a backflip, landing deftly.

“Not incorrect, is it?”

Despite the frustration, Noah surveyed his surroundings. Some newly arrived hunters watched from afar. Noah leapt again, wings spreading for a brief glide, and alighted before one of the watchers.

“You’re an A-Rank combat hunter, correct?”

“Uh? Ah, yes.”

The A-Rank hunter recognized him—having helped Han Yujin with the roster earlier. He was British. Noah smiled gently.

“Would you not like to press an S-Rank hunter once—especially one from France?”

The A-Rank hesitated. His comrades urged him on:

“It’s A-Rank—he’ll go easy on you if you lose.”

“Sure, but if you win, I’ll race you to the next dungeon.”

A British S-Rank laughed at that. Eric sneered.

“You’ll team up with an A-Rank against me?”

“I’ll only support. I’m a support hunter.”

Eric scoffed, and the A-Rank looked uneasy—yet eager not to miss out, he stepped forward. He whispered his skill set to Noah, who replied just as quietly:

“You also have healing skill, right?”

Lacking confidence, the A-Rank drew his longsword. A support aura flared around him and the ambient mana shimmered twice as fluid. His eyes widened—but before he could savor it, Eric charged like a bull.

“Even if an A-Rank gets my support skills, if he topples me even once, I’ll call it a win!”

“Ugh!”

The A-Rank recoiled at the mace’s roar. Noah, airborne with wings unfurled, shouted:

“Activate all your skills!”

“Sir?”

“Don’t worry about mana.”

The A-Rank’s speed surged. He maintained all combat-assist skills at once—normally used sparingly. Yet his mana never depleted. Lightly dodging Eric’s mace, he retreated, channeled additional attack skills into his sword. A dense mana aura engulfed the blade, rising over a meter.

“For an A-Rank, that’s strong mana—but so slow!”

No sane S-Rank would stand still to let such an attack land. Eric sneered and changed direction to evade—but then:

“Ugh!”

Eric’s body suddenly felt weighed down. His Stone Armor skill thickened and grew heavy. Defense rose—but so did sluggishness. Simultaneously:

Crack–crack–crack!

The A-Rank’s powered slash, amplified by Noah’s support, struck Eric’s chest.

Boom!

Despite the clamor, the reinforced stone armor bore not a crack. Instead—

“Guh!”

Eric toppled backward into the sea. He surfaced hastily—but everyone had seen him fall.

“An A-Rank knocked you out?”

The British S-Rank hunter laughed, clutching his stomach. Others jeered.

“Since you fell, I win, right?”

The A-Rank hunter triumphantly retreated to his group. Eric’s face burned with fury as he glared at Noah.

“What did you do to me?!”

“I’ll bill Guildmaster Turschen for the destroyed bike.”

“It’s not over yet!”

Eric snarled, ready to lunge, but Noah regarded him coolly. His wings folded with a click, dropping behind him like a blade. Eric braced himself, but before they collided—

Clang! Metal links shot out, intertwining with each other. At the same moment, Noah’s tail whipped at Eric’s mace. The weapon held firm—but Noah’s momentum curved him up and over Eric’s head, landing atop his back.

Keeping the chains pinned forward.

“Ghk!”

The chain coiled around Eric’s throat. To prevent choking, a serrated metal plate slid in, pressing against his neck.

“This much—guh.”

Undeterred, Noah entered Full Draconic Form. Unable to withstand the weight, Eric sagged, toppled, and splashed under the waves. A dragon and a man vanished into the sea.

“…He’s not coming up.”

After ten minutes, the A-Rank hunter spoke in puzzlement. Another helicopter arrived then.

“Guild Leader Haeyeon! Hello~”

Kang Soyeong jumped onto the sand, waving at Han Yuhyun. Evelyn and Chloe followed. Han Yuhyun frowned slightly at Chloe.

“Looks like something happened. The bike’s wrecked.”

“Just follow the path.”

Evelyn adjusted her skirt after jumping down and headed toward the path. Chloe silently trailed her, while Kang Soyeong lingered, scanning the scene.

“Hello, William! Lucy unni!”

Seeing familiar British hunters, she greeted them with delight.

“Hi, Sweetie! Heard dragon rings are pouring out lately?”

“Dragon Rings, yes. But why are you here?”

“Ah, well…”

Before the Brit could explain, a golden object shot from the water. A gilded dragon, spraying droplets, hurled Eric onto the beach. Kang Soyeong’s face lit up.

“Noah-ssi!”

Ignoring Eric’s coughing, she bounded toward Noah.

“You’re amazing! So cool! Let me ride once! To the mansion! Just once!”

“Hello, Soyeong-ssi.”

Noah transformed back into human form.

“You’re wet. I think I have a towel somewhere.”

“I’ll just wash at the mansion.”

“Then come with me! I need to go there anyway!”

Though all guests were heading to the mansion, Kang Soyeong’s exaggerated excitement and timing made Noah look momentarily bemused—though not displeased.

“Then I’ll go ahead.”

“Okay.”

Noah gave Han Yuhyun a brief nod and walked off with Kang Soyeong toward the path. The onlookers, seeing the fight over, began to disperse. Eric ground his teeth in frustration but, refusing to stay, demanded the helicopter lower its ladder—and truly departed. There was no point in staying and being mocked. Even if he left, tales would spread: “S-Rank hunter beaten by A-Rank” they’d say.

“All quiet on your end?”

[Yes. Still calm. Evelyn-ssi arrived before Hyun-ah and Yerim’s shift. Not that I don’t trust Hyun-ah—I do—but it’s a bit awkward… ouch!]

“Brother?”

[It’s fine. Hwang Lim should be arriving any moment now.]

No sooner had Han Yujin spoken than another helicopter appeared. Han Yuhyun switched the comm channel and contacted the pilot. The chopper slowed and hovered—not over sand, but above the sea. Its door opened, and Hwang Lim stepped out in a Hawaiian shirt, billowing in the wind.

“He’s here.”

Han Yuhyun said curtly. Despite making clear his displeasure at hovering over the water, Hwang Lim unfurled a large parasol. He leapt lightly—but just before touching the surface, flipped the parasol like a boat and floated atop the water. The weight of Hwang Lim was supported, and he drifted above the sea.

Han Yuhyun’s eyes sharpened, and he drew the Dominator’s Blade.

[Yuhyun, you’d better—]

“I’m only here to greet him.”

Clang! The Dominator’s Blade extended like a dragon’s tail, brimming with the master’s mana. In a wide arc—

Shhhhh—! The wave struck, surging high to meet Hwang Lim.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep