Chapter 234: Human Spirit Is [Redacted…]
Anyone wouldn’t think much of it when they see an ant. In fact, they might even have the leisurely mood to observe what the ant is doing or where it is going.
On the other hand, if there were an army of ants climbing over the person’s body without ant and looked as if they would not surrender—when slapping themselves, rolling all over the floor to crush a whole lot of them proved meaningless, their mood would most likely be sour.
And that was how Sakasugi was feeling right now.
There were clearly no champions amongst these humans who came out nowhere—to a dragon, the greatest of supernatural species, born atop all that was extraordinary and strengthening even as they slumbered, the Players certainly were no champions despite having recently treaded within the supernatural.
And yet, Sakasugi could only feel immeasurably shocking toughness from them!
They clearly had no intention of fleeing like his previous victims no matter what harm might be inflicted upon them. Even if they were dismembered or disemboweled, they would still use their bleeding teeth to chomp down viciously on Sakasugi—even if their teeth could not even scratch the dragon’s scales!
Even though Sakasugi was revived an undead and its Dragon Might pale in comparison than when it was alive, it was still clearly effective from the way it worked on the sacred corps from the Temple of Glory.
So why would it appear useless against these humans?
Moreover, these humans had a wide variety of abilities: some humans were summoning seafood that spat jets of water against the dragon, just as some would spit jets of water directly by themselves. Others were summoning tombstones to smack it, with a few mumblings something called ‘suplex’ as they ran up towards it, attempting to grab Sakasugi’s claws and dying in the process.
Though Sakasugi was no clean freak, it was still a little repulsed with their persistent attempts to hug its claws, especially since they were another species.
‘Are humans supposed to be this scary?’ Sakasugi asked itself.
Being a moving calamity of the last era and a terror that wreaked havoc over the lands, the red dragon’s soulfire held many memories concerning humans.
Even so, the humans in those memories were weaklings. Aside from being weaker than those pointy ears dwelling in the forests, Sakasugi only ever needed to use a fraction of its strength, wealth, or authority as bait to draw out the greed lurking deep within those humans’ hearts. They would then turn against those whom they called heroes or any courageous human whose ability could prove irritating, raising their filthy butcher knives.
That was exactly how Sakasugi had trampled over countless human cities, plundered inestimable tons of treasure, and strutted until it was slain by a chosen one blessed with divine power by some G.o.d who couldn’t bear it any longer.
But everything seemed to have changed after Sakasugi’s resurrection.
The humans were no longer flinching even against a dragon like itself, and even though their ability was far less in comparison to humans from the last era, they had the bravery to challenge it without taking so much as a step behind…
Indeed, they would attempt to make an opening for their comrades even if they perished in their process. Sakasugi hence understood from their incredible partnership that seemed to pay death no heed that these humans were neither a ragtag band or misfits who would only burden each other nor an army built to fight other humans or humanoid creatures. Instead, they were united in the truest sense of the word, an organized group built to fight one—or even multiple powerful ent.i.ties.
And having given up the fear of death, the hearts of these humans were probably as st.u.r.dy as steel, warriors who served justice impartially without pursuing any personal interest!
Even if Sakasugi would offer the devastating divine relics it had hidden in the last era, the infinite amount of wealth it h.o.a.rded that could topple any human empire, or its innumerable Illum crystals that could be offered to the G.o.ds and converted into divine energy, their infinitely determined minds would probably never be shaken at all!
Besides, their deaths were not wasted.
True, their attacks were not penetrating Sakasugi’s resilient draconic scales, and the red dragon no longer had weakness after its once vulnerable innards had rotted off in the thousand years since its death, Sakasugi would still feel that something within itself was being chipped away every time the humans attacked itself.
It was only when the battle against these weird humans continued after the sun had set and the binary moons had risen that Sakasugi finally realized—the lifeforce it now possessed was what was being chipped away!
Unlike the lifeforce of normal creatures, the zombie dragon was an undead in the moment it was revived, and what drove the power of its body was naturally not the lifeforce of living creatures.
It was an unusual energy that Sakasugi found familiar, and yet it could not remember what it was since its memories were now full of holes.
And the a.s.sault of those humans was ultimately affecting that energy, slowly causing that unusual energy to fade…
As Sakasugi crushed another human rushing at it into mincemeat, it noticed that the other humans nearby were not feeling fear but grinning bizarrely.
Saskasugi knew then that this mustn’t continue.
‘There’s definitely something wrong with these humans!’
***
Even when the dragon was left in awe at the horrific durability of the Players and even suspected that they were brainwashed by some evil G.o.d, the Players were actually finding the current situation troubling as well.
To put it simply, the creature was too tough.
Its scales and its bones were so durable that the Players’ normal skills couldn’t pierce them aside from cutting down a fraction of HP.
Moreover, stronger ultimate skills had excessively long casting time, no to mention that they were very obvious and cool that the zombie dragon would agilely evade it whenever they fired.
Even if the Players would attempt to control its movements, the dragon’s anti-magic nature was equally powerful, while most control spells were weak. Additionally, suplex, which everyone acknowledged as the best control spell would always be foiled whenever the dragon quickly darted ahead to trample over the Warrior Player attempting it…
All at once, the Players were caught in the distress of having such a tough opponent
“Joe, what’s on your mind?” Having instructed the other Players in tactics for the whole afternoon, Edward took a break to have a drink when he found Joe seemingly being pensive about something.
And despite knowing that his party mate was basically brainless, Edward’s pa.s.sionate curiosity still got the better of him.
“It’s nothing,” Joe grinned awkwardly, scratching his head. “It’s just that when the zombie dragon stomped me to death just now, it looked just like a female Player who saw a disgusting bug.”
Edward couldn’t help grinning in return. “Quit fooling around. It’s an undead—it can’t smile, not to mention that it’s a dragon…”
Even as he spoke, he turned towards the dead red dragon.
Perhaps affected by Joe’s words, Edward suddenly noticed that whenever the dead red dragon was slamming its paw down on Players around itself, it looked like Jessica whenever she saw a c.o.c.kroach…