Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest-Chapter 647 142.3 - Void Dragon

"SCREEEEECH!" The dragon's screech tore through the cavern, a sound so piercing it rattled my bones and forced me to brace myself. In that instant, I activated [Shadowborne]'s defensive form, [Shadow Embrace], and felt the comforting shroud of shadows coil around me, forming a protective layer that absorbed some of the incoming force. The explosion's shockwave hit me, fierce and unyielding, pushing against my body like a physical wall.

I gritted my teeth as the pressure settled on me—a crushing, suffocating weight, unlike anything I'd ever felt. Every inch of the air was saturated with the Void Dragon's raw, ancient mana, filling the cavern with an almost tangible presence. It was as if the very essence of the Void itself had come alive, pressing down on me with a relentless force that seeped through my defenses and settled heavily in my chest.

"SCREEEEECH!"

The sound was deafening, reverberating through every corner of the cavern, threatening to shake it apart. My ears rang, my vision swam, and I fought to maintain my focus, knowing that this was only the beginning.

And then, as the dust settled and my senses adjusted, I saw it.

The Void Dragon.

The creature before me was a monstrous sight, its scales dark as the deepest night, seeming to absorb every trace of light in the room. Veins of void energy pulsed along its massive body, glowing with an eerie, purplish hue that contrasted sharply against its pitch-black form. Its eyes, glowing like twin void stars, fixed on me with an intelligence that sent a chill down my spine. The sheer size of it was indeed huge; each breath it took caused the ground beneath my feet to tremble, the dense mana radiating from it distorting the air around it.

The dragon's wings unfurled, vast, and shadowy, each membrane stretching like a dark curtain that seemed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding shadows. The tendrils of void energy danced around its body, giving it an almost ethereal, otherworldly quality. It was both terrifying and mesmerizing—a primordial force given form, ancient and unyielding.

I couldn't afford to be distracted.

Taking a steadying breath, I tightened my grip on Celestalith, feeling the familiar hum of mana as it responded to my intent. My instincts screamed at me to retreat, to find cover, but I knew there would be no running from this. This was a battle where every moment counted, and I couldn't waste a single one.

The Void Dragon tilted its massive head, looking around to sense the presence of the mere intruder that dared to disturb its slumber. As I steadied myself, peering through the haze of mana and dust, I took in the Void Dragon's form. The sheer power emanating from it was staggering, but there was something… incomplete about it. Comparing it to the fully realized monster from the game, I noted the differences. This version was smaller, lacking the complete majesty and terror of its future self. Its dark, shimmering scales, though formidable, had patches where they appeared thinner, as if still developing. The massive tail, which in the game had been an impenetrable weapon, looked a touch shorter, less armored.

The most noticeable difference, however, was its wings. A mature Void Dragon should have two pairs, each one casting vast shadows capable of blotting out the sun. But here, only one pair was fully formed, while the second set barely extended past its back, stunted and skeletal, pulsing with incomplete veins of void energy. The dragon's body was still growing, still in the midst of its rebirth—a sign that my gamble had worked, at least partially.

But if the Void Dragon was aware of this, it wasn't happy about it.

"SCREEEEECH!"

Another piercing roar ripped through the cavern as it flailed, its wings smashing into nearby rock formations and sending boulders crashing to the ground. The dragon's eyes blazed, sweeping the cavern with furious intensity, searching for the intruder who had dared interrupt its slumber. Veins of void energy pulsed along its form, glowing angrily as if sensing its incomplete state and raging against it.

Each strike of its claws against the stone was thunderous, and I could feel the fury radiating from it. Shadows pooled at its feet, surging with each frustrated movement as the dragon's half-awakened strength struggled to stabilize.

I took a slow, measured breath, keeping my form concealed in the shadows, my grip tight on Celestalith.

'No need to waste any more time.'

The more the dragon went berserk, the more dangerous it would be for me, as there is a chance that it can find my presence, or discover me. 'I shouldn't rely on Shadowborne, as if it is omnipotent.'

That was why, it was the time to act. Without hesitation, I drew Celestalith, shifting it smoothly into its rifle form. The weapon hummed in my grip, resonating with my mana as I focused my aim on the Void Dragon's head, targeting its blazing, furious eyes. I poured compressed energy into each shot, feeling the familiar surge as the rifle prepared to unleash its devastating force.

-PIU! PIU! PIU!-

Three bullets shot from the rifle in quick succession, streaking toward the dragon's head with deadly precision. Each shot left a faint green trail in its wake, Celestalith's unique ability marking the path with ethereal tendrils that guided my vision to the target. I could see the trajectory clearly, the mana-infused bullets zeroing in on their mark.

The Void Dragon's eyes flared as the first shot hit, exploding in a burst of energy that forced it to reel back. The second and third bullets followed, striking just above its eyes and sending tendrils of green energy cascading down its face. "SCREEEEECH!" The impact forced the dragon to halt, its head snapping back as it let out a furious roar, shaking the very foundation of the cavern.

But I had only seconds before it would find me.

The Void Dragon's enraged gaze turned sharply in my direction, its blazing eyes narrowing on my location. Its instincts were sharper than I had expected; it sensed my presence instantly, its void energy swirling as it prepared to retaliate. Without a moment's hesitation, it raised one massive claw and slammed it down toward the spot where I stood, the sheer force sending cracks radiating across the ground.

WARP! I activated [Shadow Leap] just in time, vanishing into the shadows and reappearing several meters away. The dragon's claw struck the stone with a thunderous impact, shattering the ground beneath it and sending debris flying in every direction. Dust and fractured stone filled the air, obscuring its vision as I moved further back into the shadows.

The Void Dragon let out another screech, its frustration evident as it lashed out blindly, the half-formed wings on its back twitching with a rage that made the air vibrate. It twisted its head, trying to pinpoint my new location, but I remained hidden, silent in the shadows as it scanned the cavern, its every movement tinged with a primal fury.

Knowing my element of surprise was gone, I decided to press the advantage while it was disoriented. I shifted Celestalith back to its rifle form, preparing for another round of shots. 'Analyze.'

The fight had begun, and I didn't have much time to think. 'The bullets don't have much effect. As expected. I either need to go into close combat range, or I need to use Blasting Arrows.'

The dragon's incomplete state made it less formidable, but each second it remained active allowed it to stabilize, to draw strength from the ambient void energy.

'I need to be fast.'

I took a steadying breath, activating [Eyes of Hourglass]. Immediately, time seemed to slow, the rush of mana surging into my eyes sharpening my senses to a razor's edge. The Void Dragon's movements, once a flurry of terrifying speed, now appeared almost sluggish as my perception accelerated. My brain worked at a rapid pace, analyzing every detail as my vision began to pierce beneath the dragon's thick, pulsing hide.

'What? Just what is this?' But, beneath its dark scales, a complex network of mana pathways glowed faintly, each line of energy coiling and twisting through its colossal form like rivers of power. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen—an intricate web of void energy, far denser and more complex than any creature I'd encountered. Every line was alive with mana, fueling the dragon's strength.

My eyes darted across the dragon's form, tracing the intricate patterns, but even with my heightened perception, I struggled to pinpoint any weak spots. The sheer complexity of its pathways was overwhelming; its mana structure was layered, dense, and woven in such a way that it defied any quick analysis. Weak points were there, but hidden, each one embedded deep within the framework of its body. I only had seconds to make sense of it.

'Focus,' I told myself, pushing through the disorienting rush of information. My vision sharpened further as I studied the lines of energy with intensity, zeroing in on the faint disruptions in the flow.

'This…..'

Finally, I managed to mark five potential weak points—areas where the mana seemed less stable, where the flow was disrupted for the briefest of moments before stabilizing again. I burned their positions into my memory, mapping them out in my head.

'It is coming.'

The Dragon also noticed my new location, as I could sense its eyes and body starting to move. I tightened my grip on Celestalith and took aim, channeling my mana into the rifle as I locked onto the first weak point. Even with my slowed perception, each shot needed to be precise, hitting those exact marks to verify if they were indeed vulnerabilities.

-PIU! PIU! PIU!-

The bullets tore through the air, each one streaking toward its target, striking the dragon's form with pinpoint accuracy. The impacts resonated against its hide, faint pulses of green energy signaling where each shot had hit. The dragon roared in response, the vibrations shaking the very ground beneath me. SWIRL!

But that wasn't enough as instantly, just as the green energy pulsed against the dragon's hide from my shots, I sensed a sudden shift in its mana. The air around it thickened, condensing rapidly into a point just above its head. My eyes widened as I realized what was coming—a beam of condensed void energy, aimed directly at me.

Even in slow motion, the beam surged with terrifying speed, a searing streak of darkness that seemed to slice through space itself. I had only a fraction of a second to react, and instinct took over.

I activated [Shadow Leap], vanishing into the shadows just as the beam tore through the spot I had occupied. The air sizzled, the edges of the cavern stone melting under the sheer force of the blast as it continued past, carving a searing line into the wall behind me. The explosive force from the impact rocked the cavern, sending cracks spidering across the walls.

I reappeared on the opposite side of the room, catching my breath as I steadied myself. I could feel the residual heat of the beam, even from a distance, and a shiver ran through me at the near miss.

"SCREEEEECH!"

The Void Dragon's furious screech reverberated through the cavern, its blazing eyes snapping toward my new position. The beast twisted, clearly enraged by yet another missed strike. And then its eyes shone brightly for a split second, and then….

I felt something inside me, disappearing. 'Shadowborne.'