Desert dragons are classified as A-rank monsters.
In this desert and sandstorm-filled place, it is actually quite common. In other words, it is a monster native to "Robobia" that you might not see in other regions.
It is a giant python with a yellowish-brown color and hard skin. Its limbs are flipper-like, and its back has jagged barbs that extend to its tail.
(The desert dragon mentioned here is a reference to the extinct Late Cretaceous reptile: the mosasaur.)
It is worth mentioning that desert dragons are also social animals and are extremely aggressive.
The reason for this campaign is that the desert dragon lives in "Crusador," a place known as a land of exile, where not only exiled officials but also criminals seeking to escape legal punishment reside.
Generally speaking, no one would entrust this kind of task.
The key lies in the desert dragon; this creature is a treasure trove from head to toe.
The tough skin can be peeled off and used as protective gear.
The backstab and teeth can be removed and used as arrowheads.
The eyeballs can be gouged out for lighting (the eyes of the desert dragon glow green at night). Of course, very few people would buy such a terrifying lighting method, except for nobles with a perverse sense of humor.
Even their flesh can be eaten. (The monsters in this world are the kind of food that tastes delicious when paired with beer. "Anyway, I wouldn't dare eat that kind of thing.")
Therefore, it seems that every now and then there will be a request to hunt down a desert dragon.
We lay prone in a relatively high place. There were no obvious shelters in the desert, so this was the only way we could observe the desert dragons in the distance.
Despite having such a surprise attack strategy, we still can't approach rashly, or we might be wiped out. Once the desert dragon is provoked, it's not something that can be easily dealt with.
"There were probably more than ten..."
The way desert dragons live seems to be different from other monsters. At night, they bury their heads and half of their bodies in the sand, leaving only their tails and hind limbs exposed.
To be honest, in the dim light, it looked more like some kind of plant, perhaps a trap used by the desert dragon to hunt.
The first group of mages assigned to the rear guard will use a method similar to fire magic to heat the ground. This is mainly to make the desert dragons raise their heads, since attacking only their lower bodies is ineffective and won't kill them.
The moment the desert dragon raised its head, the remaining mages launched their strongest attack on the tribe. The initial mages were not idle either; after the remaining mages launched their attacks, they would fill the gaps in their magic gathering and launch their own attacks.
In the blink of an eye, the desert dragon herd can be thrown into chaos like a beehive. Although the enraged tribes will charge towards this side, by then most of the tribes that can move will have already been killed or injured.
Finally, I'll use the mud pit. Although the sandy ground won't be crucial, the forwards and the remaining center-backs will swarm in and wipe them out completely.
These are our strategic steps.
"Captain, there are about twenty of them."
The man carrying a bow and arrows in front of us spoke like this, probably because archers have pretty good eyesight, so he was acting as a scout.
"About twenty... I only saw that much... Oh, I see. It seems there are some more not far away, but they're too far to see."
"Continue to scout, especially the surrounding area, to see if any other monsters also inhabit this place."
"yes."
In short, Nighogd still did not issue an attack order at this time. After all, in such a desert, besides the desert dragon, there must be other beings just as terrifying as the desert dragon that live there. If they rushed out while we were fighting fiercely, it would really be bad.
The saying goes, "When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits." Even unintelligent monsters know how to take advantage of this.
"Captain, it's confirmed. There are no other monsters living within several miles."
"Leon, I'm sure you're okay with leaving this to me, right?"
Nighogd naturally refers to the swamp, since it can slow down the approaching desert dragon and can also play a role in covering the escape of teammates even if the raid fails.
"Um……"
Considering that the swamp was used in such a vast area, and that I didn't know the movement speed of the desert dragon, to be honest, I was a little unsure, so I didn't answer Nighold's question immediately.
"Hey, if you're scared at a time like this, hurry up and go back. Don't hold us back."
Yuna, on the other hand, glared at me fiercely with a creepy look in her eyes.
However, given the distance and our high altitude, releasing Mud Swamp multiple times should be feasible, but that would waste a lot of magic power. If the Desert Dragon really charges at us, we might actually perish here.
"If only Julius were here... such a desert dragon..."
...No, I shouldn't have brought up people who weren't there; it would be troublesome if they became dependent on me.
"Leon, don't worry about anything, just go for it. I'll protect you."
Uncle Blackbeard was as reliable as ever.
"Alright, Leon, cheer up."
"Captain, I'm fine."
The team was mostly rested, especially the mages at the rear, who all slept before sunset to ensure they had plenty of magic. So, what am I still worried about?
Let's go all out!
"Then, the whole team, listen to my command."
Upon hearing Nighold's statement, everyone tensed up.
I stared intently at the desert dragon before me, just like they did.
"Let's get started!"
"Lord of the Earth, may the great protection of the flames descend upon the place I seek, so that warmth may remain, the eternal night may be dispelled, and your blessings may be transformed into boiling water—'Earth's melting pot'!"
It was a spell cast jointly by the two guarding mages. As magic was injected into the sand, a scorching heat surged towards the desert dragon herd.
Hoo hoo hoo
"Second squad!"
"O spirit bathed in the aurora, heed my call! Buried deep within the earth, blaze forth, shatter, descend before me, and burn away all my blessings—'Explosive Flame'!"
"..."
The remaining mages dared not be negligent, gripping their wands tightly and chanting spells. Immediately afterward, a fireball with a diameter of one meter hurled towards the tribe.
Boom!
The moment the fireball hit the ground, a tremendous roar echoed in our ears, followed by a sandstorm and a cloud of dust.
"Don't let your guard down! First squad, continue the attack!"
The first squad consisted of the two men who had just cast the furnace magic. After receiving orders, they also bombarded the tribe with magic similar to large fireballs.
Although the sandstorm greatly obscured visibility, one could still see a desert dragon being consumed by flames, drooping on the ground and wailing.
Roar~~
Adhering to the principle of "no harm even with smoke," the desert dragons rioted, charging towards us one after another.
"Don't panic! Second squad, use fireballs!"
"receive!"
Boom boom boom~
It probably took some time to condense the same "explosive flame" as before, so Nighold commanded everyone to cast fireball magic, which rained down on the tribe like a shower of flowers.
"Leon! Mud Swamp, quick! Use Mud Swamp!"
Because the pack is moving, fireballs are hard to hit, so Nighold is pinning his hopes on me. The swamp will be crucial at this point.
"O slumbering spirit, heed my prayer, your light envelops the earth... 'Morcery'!"
Since the swamp is a magic that combines two attributes, in order not to reveal that I can cast spells without chanting, I can only forcibly compose a few incantations. To be honest, I am not very good at it, so I can only shout out the incantations that I can think of.
As I set up the swamp, the speed of the horde was significantly slowed down, and the remaining mages' attacks landed easily on them, reducing their numbers.
Is this the level of a subjugation request?
Watching the desert dragons fall one after another, it seemed that they could be annihilated without the vanguard even needing to take action.
"Captain! Black...it's...a black desert dragon!"
Just as I was thinking this, the archer man, with his better eyesight, seemed to see something illogical and shouted at us in a terrified voice.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com