Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Chapter 273  Himmel [3]

Aimar often found himself questioning why he'd ever become friends with Azariah.

And as he looked at his grinning face after he pushed him down, he couldn't help but wonder,

'Why do I bother sticking with this prideful bastard?' Maybe it was because of Oliver.

Or perhaps, he actually liked being around Azariah, though he'd never admit it out loud.

In the end, he didn't know.

'I should have stayed home.'

Grumbling internally, Aimar twisted mid-air as he refocused on the task at hand.

The thought of fighting a dragon alone chilled him to the bone.

But....the idea of burdening Azariah—after all the hell he'd been through—was worse.

The inside of the inactive volcano was eerily silent, bathed in a dim, unnatural light.

The walls of the crater were steep and rugged, carved by previous lava flows.

Layers of volcanic rock, ash, and sediment were visible.

A small lake was present at the side, formed by accumulated rainwater over the years.

The heavy air reeked of sulfur, thick enough to cling to the back of his throat.

On one side was a small cave that glowed with gentle light.

And at the heart of the crater, curled in a massive bowl-shaped depression, lay the crimson-scaled dragon.

"Hah."

Aimar took a deep breath as he took out his spear, gripping it tightly with his trembling hands.

"Everyone feels fear."

He slowly whispered to himself, trying to ignore his heart hammering in his chest.

"It's a necessity to do the job."

Still suspended mid-air, his body twisted in a full rotation.

He hurled the spear with every ounce of his strength.

A shockwave echoed, the spear hurtling toward the dragon.

CLANG!!

But before it could even touch the dragon, a barrier made of mana stopped its trial.

A wave of primal fear washed over Aimar as the beast's piercing gaze pinned him in place.

An abnormal fear gripped Aimar's heart as he stared back.

"Don't be afraid. It's a baby dragon!"

Azariah's voice rang out from above, breaking the tension.

It was neither comforting nor helpful—if anything, it was annoying.

Aimar's jaw clenched.

'That smug prick.'

A portal opened beneath him, depositing him onto the ground as he took out another spear.

He balanced himself on the ground as soon as he landed in front of the dragon.

His body shuddered as the dragon rose on its fours, glaring at him.

ROOAR!!

A deafening roar echoed, making Aimar tense up while a faint greenish aura started to envelop his body.

He took a fighting stance.

The dragon lunged.

A portal materialized just in time, swallowing Aimar before the beast's massive claws could reach him.

He reappeared atop the dragon's back, driving his spear into the scales with all his might.

The weapon barely pierced its hide, leaving only a shallow wound.

Gritting his teeth, he started targeting the soft tissue underneath the scales.

The dragon whipped its head around, looking at him like he was nothing more than an irritating insect.

"Fuck."

Aimar cursed under his breath as the dragon's mouth opened, fire igniting within its throat.

Another portal whisked him away just as a torrent of flames consumed the spot where he'd been.

He emerged in front of the beast, mind racing to calculate his next move.

Subconsciously, his eyes drifted toward Azariah, who was sitting at the top munching on popcorn.

'Is he taking revenge for not comforting him about Christina's death?'

Aimar grimaced in his mind. He felt annoyed while, at the same time, he felt... sad.

Even though he wanted to, he felt like he wasn't the guy who could comfort him.

He was too awkward to emotionally support him.

'...I am sorry, man.' Aimar suppressed those feelings as he let another portal engulf him.

His body emerged beside the belly of the dragon as he drove his spear. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

'Hm?' Only then did he clearly notice a huge cut on its stomach that ran down to its tail.

He aligned his spear along the soft part, making a cut.

But before he could thrust further, the dragon's body moved.

The beast reared back, spreading its massive wings.

With a single powerful flap, it lifted into the air, glaring down at Aimar with disdain.

Another stream of fire surged toward him as he once again let his body be engulfed inside a portal.

Multiple portals emerged around the dragon's body, making it look around.

Aimar emerged from one of them with a chain made up of solidified wind in his hand.

He threw it at the dragon, making it loop around its wings.

He vanished into the portal again, dodging the flames streaming at him.

Emerging from another portal, he did the same until he made it hard for the dragon to fly.

When the dragon finally landed with a ground-shaking crash, Aimar appeared by its side once more, thrusting his spear toward the vulnerable underbelly.

But a barrier of mana stopped his spear midway.

"Tch."

He clicked his tongue, leaping backward just as the dragon's jaws snapped shut where he'd been standing.

The tip of his spear gleamed as he spun it in a wide arc, a blade of wind arcing toward the dragon.

Clang!

The mana barrier absorbed the strike effortlessly.

'How am I supposed to kill this thing?' He wondered, feeling his frustration turning into desperation.

With every step he took, with every portal he conjured, Aimar could feel his mana being spent.

While the dragon remained the same. Unhinged.

He bit his lip in frustration as the dragon's wings flared violently, shattering the chains binding them.

Making sure that his breathing remained controlled and movements sharp and unwasted,

Aimar mustered forward once again, using the same tactics he had used the last round.

A few more shallow cuts covered the dragon's body while Aimar felt his strength snapping away.

ROOAR!!!!

"Be careful. He is going to be serious now!!"

"...????"

Aimar tilted his head upward, his expression baffled as Azariah's voice echoed through the cavern.

'The fuck does he mean by that?' He wondered, but his body froze as he looked at the dragon.

The surroundings around him buzzed as the dragon glared at him. The ground beneath the beast erupted as long-dormant magma sprang to life, bathing the cavern in a hellish glow. "Fuck my life," Aimar muttered under his breath, his body instinctively retreating. A spike of molten rock shot up from the ground where he had been standing moments ago, sharp enough to skewer him. Wherever he moved, more magma spikes erupted in his wake, forcing him into an erratic retreat. And before he knew it, the dragon opened its maw wide, fire igniting in it. Aimar barely managed to summon a tornado of wind around himself, its whirling force shielding him from the searing flames that burst forth. Another spear appeared in his hand as he slipped into a portal. Dodging the spike of magma, he picked up two of the spears he used before. He locked onto the glaring dragon. Letting his body swallowed again, he sneakingly hurled the spears like a javelin, letting their tips bury themselves into the limbs of the dragon. With no time to relax, enveloped in a greenish hue, he dipped and weaved through the flurry of spikes from the dragon. He continued skirting around, without fighting back. The dragon roared in frustration, unable to land a hit. Spikes and the flames streaming from its mouth made Aimar find it hard to breathe. Finally, with an opportunity in place, Aimar jumped up, using its head as a platform to reach above the dragon. With a spear in hand, he used wind to cover his entire spear before lodging it deep within the dragon's back. The dragon roar echoed within the place while Aimar jumped down with a slight grin. His body moved back and before he could even be delighted at the upper hand he got, something abnormal happened. 'What?' A thick, dark gas began to seep from the dragon's body and started to cover the place. Aimar sniffed the air and instantly regretted it—his head spun, nausea gripping his stomach. Before he could react, the world around him dissolved into pitch-black nothingness. Suddenly, something massive struck his ribs, the force sending him sprawling across the cavern floor. His body felt like it was breaking and joints snapping, and he was knocked to his side. "Argh." Aimar groaned as he quickly stood up, his head buzzing while he caught a glimpse of the dragon's tail moving. "Fuck." He cursed softly, feeling his skin crawl with pain. Another portal emerged, but before it could swallow him, a spike pierced his left thigh. His entire body trembled violently as he felt his flesh tearing apart. Another hit from the dragon's tail knocked him over, making his body slide on the harsh floor. "Cough! Cough!" Aimar coughed violently as he used his spear to support his body. Blood dripped down his head, while his skull was visibly cracked open. Aimar groaned as he tried to get into the fighting stance once again. 'If I'm going down, I better take that dragon with me.' He thought as he drew in shallow breaths repeatedly. Through the darkness, a pair of glowing eyes stared down at him. A fire ignited in the dragon's mouth once again and as if they were inflammable, the gas burned. And then— A figure appeared before him, cutting through the fire with a wide arc of his arm.

Trails of blue flame swirled in the air, absorbing the dragon's onslaught with unnatural ease. "I would have clapped for your performance, but you know—one hand." Azariah smiled, glancing back at Aimar. "Have some rest, buddy." He said while Aimar's body gave in. "I will handle the rest."