Nia, hidden atop the town’s clock tower, watched from afar as EI appeared in front of the warehouse.
Even though she had chosen to trust him, Nia still didn’t fully understand what he intended to do.
She saw EI provocatively taunt the Dragon Fiend, then retreat to the designated warehouse according to their plan.
The Dragon Fiend followed suit and entered the warehouse, but nothing happened.
Watching EI continue to rile up the monster, Nia felt her patience wearing thin.
As her first human friend, she didn’t want to see him die like this.
Just as she debated whether to intervene and stop EI’s plan, a small flame suddenly flickered in EI’s hand.
It was a fireball he had only learned to conjure minutes ago.
Could this be his trump card—a fingertip-sized flame?
No, she had to go save EI.
Leaping down from the clock tower, Nia had barely taken a few steps when a massive explosion erupted from the warehouse.
Following the blast was a huge, blazing firework that exploded like a midnight epiphyllum—so dazzling and magnificent that it left one speechless.
Was that EI’s signal?
What exactly had happened at the warehouse?
Regretting her premature departure but prioritizing EI’s safety, she didn’t have time to dwell on it and sprinted toward the warehouse.
Two minutes later, Nia arrived at the scene.
The area was chaotic; the warehouse’s brown wooden doors had shattered into countless pieces.
The surrounding clearing was littered with charcoal fragments—more debris scattered closer to the epicenter, and some larger shards lay helplessly in the corners.
A faint scent of burning lingered in the air.
The aftershock of the explosion had yet to subside; flames still devoured everything, painting the night in shades of orange and red.
“EI! EI, are you alright?”
Startled by what had happened, Nia immediately searched for any sign of him.
“I’m here!”
From the rubble, EI crawled out from a protruding heap, brushing the dust off his clothes and waving at Nia.
Relieved, Nia rushed over to him.
“EI, are you okay?”
“With Frank’s shield, the explosion didn’t hurt me.”
“EI, what happened just now? Why did it suddenly explode? When did you learn fire magic?”
Once reassured of his safety, Nia fired a rapid series of questions.
“This is complicated. Even though it was me, I used science, not magic. It’s called a dust explosion.”
EI dusted off the soot from the blast and glanced toward the still-burning warehouse ruins. “I’ll show you how it works properly tomorrow.”
“More importantly, what about that ugly thing? Should’ve blown it to bits, right?”
As if answering his words, a roar echoed from the ruins.
“As you can see, it’s not done yet.”
Drawing her longsword from her waist, Nia’s expression grew serious.
An explosion of that magnitude failing to take down a single Dragon Fiend was unprecedented.
“Nia, maybe we should retreat. Its fighting power is beyond what I expected.”
As EI’s voice fell, a powerful gust swept out from the fiery wreckage ahead, instantly snuffing out the surrounding flames.
The Dragon Fiend’s form was revealed to both Nia and EI.
The explosion had obviously gravely injured the monster.
Half its head was gone, its entire body was a mess of blood and torn flesh, and both wings were missing—only a vague silhouette remained.
Seeing its condition, Nia relaxed slightly.
The Dragon Fiend’s severe wounds gave her confidence in the upcoming battle.
Without its tough hide, the monster’s combat strength was greatly diminished.
“No need. It’s badly hurt now. I can finish it here.”
“How confident are you?”
Looking at the seemingly dying Dragon Fiend, EI hesitated before asking.
“At least ninety percent,” Nia analyzed the situation and gave a sober estimate.
“Alright then.” EI stepped back. “Be careful.”
Nodding to EI, Nia quietly began chanting.
Orange-red flames instantly engulfed her longsword.
By the time Nia finished enchanting it, the Dragon Fiend lunged toward them.
Its massive claws smashed down with unstoppable force.
The monster surely anticipated turning these two into minced meat.
If it could, it would love to hear their screams.
Especially that damned man—Nia vowed to tear him to shreds!
Yet, what happened next was not what the Dragon Fiend expected.
With a loud “clang,” the woman with the longsword actually blocked its strike!
Suddenly, a gust of wind surged around her, and the blazing sword swung with it.
The Dragon Fiend was blasted away and crashed into the rubble behind.
Before it could process what had happened, the woman charged forward relentlessly.
Regaining her footing, the wounded Dragon Fiend was forced to counterattack.
Nia darted among the ruins, evading every strike.
Her sword radiated a series of shimmering beams, like stars, striking one after another without pause, all hitting the exposed wounds on the monster.
The roaring flames spread across the Dragon Fiend’s injuries, burning them fiercely.
Pain from the soul itself made the Dragon Fiend howl.
Nia’s longsword precisely targeted the blast wounds, plunging deep into its belly.
Without its hardened hide, the Dragon Fiend’s wounds could not heal.
Blood sprayed out.
The monster sensed its life was in danger.
But even in death, it would never let these two insects go!
Its eyes bloodshot, the Dragon Fiend finally erupted in rage.
White steam hissed from between its teeth; its red eyes burned with fury.
A tremendous oppressive aura radiated from it, enveloping the warehouse surroundings.
Whenever Nia had encountered Dragon Fiends before, their tribe’s mages had ended them in a single strike.
Nia had never seen this side of the creature.
Wary, she took up a defensive stance.
“Nia! Fall back!”
From behind, EI shouted in alarm.
Only then did Nia notice the Dragon Fiend—previously at a distance—had somehow gotten right in front of her.
Its claw was raised.
If she tried to endure the blow head-on, it wouldn’t be a joke.
What shocked Nia even more was the sudden heaviness in her body.
Gritting her teeth, she decisively cast wind magic in front of herself, using the blast’s shockwave to swiftly launch away from the Dragon Fiend’s strike range.
Her sharp judgment and seasoned combat experience allowed her to dodge the attack.
Startled but vigilant, Nia’s eyes never left the Dragon Fiend.
Damn it, why could this green Dragon Fiend use interference magic?