Overwhelming Firepower

For all their excitement, the so-called adventure turned out to be a peaceful hike and a fruit-picking session.

There was only one fruit that could survive the harsh winter on top of a snowy mountain, and it was a fruit with no name. It was well hidden, and the only reason Lucen knew about it was because he had scoured this area before in the game.

The moment Lucen got hold of the fruit, he ate it. The taste was nothing special, and the stat increase wasn’t that big. Still, it was good enough since it was getting hard to get a stat up through training.

”So did you really go up a mountain just to pick up a piece of fruit?” Harlik asked Lucen.

”You make it sound like that’s a bad thing,” Lucen answered while shrugging his shoulders.

”If this is all we were going to do, then we couldn’t have just moved with a smaller force. Why did we need to bring everyone?” Harlik asked the question every mercenary present had in mind.

”Better safe than sorry. No one was expecting the young fire dragon in the cavern, but it was still there. Who knows, maybe there was a possibility that there’s a wyvern nest up here.”

Hearing Lucen’s answer, Harlik and the other mercenaries did not say anything and could do nothing but sigh.

During their trip back and forth, for some reason, the spies followed them for a bit but then backed off at some point during the hike on the mountain to get the fruit. As they were going back down, the spies were no longer there. It was weird, but not weird enough to warrant too much attention.

’How strange, did they just leave or perhaps did something eat them?... Well, either way it doesn’t really matter to me.’

When they returned to the caverns, they found the monster harvesters were almost done with the task.

”Young master, we’ll be able to finish tomorrow morning,” Garett reported to him.

”I see... That’s good to hear.”

***

The last night in the caverns with the now disassembled body of the young fire dragon was quite joyous. The mercs drank and made merry as per usual, and even the soldiers joined in the fun.

Robert threw a bit of gunpowder in the air, pushed it a bit upward using a wind spell, and then snapped his fingers, igniting them using a silent fire spell.

The gunpowder scattered above caused a tiny burst of flames, with Robert’s control of his wind and fire spells. It was like a synchronized display.

The explosion was brief but mesmerizing, tiny sparks glimmered like embers before fading. Coupled with the moonlight and falling snow, it made for quite the sight.

Watching the scene before them made the people cheer even louder. Lucen couldn’t help but once again be amazed by Robert.

’It’s just a matter of time before this guy creates fireworks. He’s really doing everything he can think of using the gunpowder.’

***

Of course, not all of them were joining in the fun since they needed to guard against possible monster attacks and the spies.

The night passed rather quickly, and upon daybreak, the group was ready to return to Ironhold.

Lucen couldn’t help but sigh at the sequence of events that happened to him on his first trip outside.

’I said I was going to be out for at least two months, but I’m returning even before the month is over. The mercenaries, the young fire dragon, none of this had gone to plan... But perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing.’

Lucen watched as the mercenaries helped the workers load the dragon’s massive head onto a reinforced wagon. Its wheels were thick and iron-banded, the wood runed and reinforced with magic to bear the immense weight. Even with the enchantments, the wood groaned beneath the load.

’I guess I did gain more than initially thought I would, and I did it with a shorter time frame. All in all, it was a good adventure.’

With thoughts like that swirling in his mind, Lucen shook his head. As they were about to leave, Garett offered him a horse to ride, but unfortunately, he did not know how to ride. In this life and the last, he had no experience riding a horse.

”It’s alright, young master, upon my honor, I will help you learn,” Garett spoke with enthusiasm.

”... Fine, I’ll be in your care, Sir Garett.”

With Garett’s guidance and steady hands on the reins, Lucen managed to climb up. The saddle felt unfamiliar beneath him, the rhythm of the horse strange, but manageable. The Acting Adept trait helped more than a little. He mirrored what he observed, kept his posture firm, and mimicked the motions.

Not elegant, but not embarrassing either.

”As expected of the young master.”

The knight praised, but Lucen didn’t care as he was busy trying not to fall off. And with that, the convoy finally rolled out, heading home, toward Ironhold.

***

In the streets of Ironhold, it was noisier than normal as a large group of people had entered through the northern gates. Normally, this kind of sight wasn’t that unusual in Ironhold, were soldiers, knights, and mages came and went to defeat monsters, but this time there was something different.

The group that returned was bringing back the head of something incredible; on one of the wagons, the head of a dragon could be seen. None of them had ever seen a dragon, but the old stories left no doubt about what the creature on the wagon was.

Not only was there a head, but they could also see the wings of the dragon, and even though it had been long dead, its body still emitted some form of heat, which amazed those around watching.

The crowd was growing, watching the group move the body parts of the young fire dragon. The dragon’s head was wobbling slightly on the runed, reinforced wagon as it rolled through the streets of Ironhold.

Bells were ringing, the vendors who saw started gasping in amazement, children shouting to each other, ”A dragon!? A real one?!”

”The Knights of Stellhart must’ve done it!”

”No way. It was probably Duke Vardon who personally did it!”

”Do you see the Duke anywhere?”

”Look at the size of that thing! Unbelievable!”

”To think I get to see a real dragon before I die.”

At the head of the group were the two knights, Garett and Roland, holding the banner of the Thornehart house, fluttering in the wind.

A little boy riding on his father’s shoulders waved a wooden sword. ”Sir Knight! You’re the dragon slayer, right?” The boy excitedly spoke.

Garett and Roland exchanged looks. They did not know what they should say or even if it was their place to say anything.

It was at this moment that the crowd noticed a powerful presence. He was riding behind the two knights, a young man with silver hair and ruby red eyes.

During the ride back home with a combination of Training Adept and Acting Adept, Lucen was able to properly ride the horse. He knew that this was the moment he needed to quickly change the people’s view of him, from a sickly boy to a possible commander. This was so the people would have confidence in him to lead them when chaos ensues.

At this moment, Lucen was using Acting Adept to its fullest. Every action, every subtle movement, was filled with something akin to a general’s demeanor.

”Isn’t that the Duke’s son?”

”I heard he was getting healthier, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”

”Was he perhaps the one who led this expedition?”

The murmurs in the crowd swelled, confusion mixing with awe as they tried to make sense of the scene. Harlik, who was riding behind Lucen, spoke.

”Little leader, it seems that you need to clear up this misunderstanding.”

”Then, can we announce that it was with the mercenaries under the young master’s command that took down the dragon?”

Garett, who heard their conversation, rode beside Lucen and spoke. Seeing everyone looking at him, Lucen nodded his head. Seeing Lucen agree, Garett used his aura to enhance his voice and spoke.

”People of Ironhold, it was not by the hands of us knights, or the soldiers of Stellhart, that the dragon fell!”

Hearing Garett’s declaration, the crowd grew silent and listened intently to what was about to be said.

”The dragon fell under the command of the young master, Lucen Thornehart, and the warriors who fought by his side! Under my honor as a knight, this is the truth!”

When the crowd heard that Garett said they were stunned, but then their attention shifted to the young man who led a group to defeat a dragon. Seeing that all the attention was on him, Lucen decided to speak.

Even though he could not enhance his voice like Garett using aura, he felt like, in this silence, if he spoke loud enough, his voice would carry over.

”It is as Sir Garett said. Under my command, the courageous lifted their weapons without backing down against a dragon! We, as people of the north, as people of Stellhart, have claimed victory once more, and we will continue to do so!”

Lucen used his gun creation and bullet creation skills to create his favorite revolver, which he loaded with a single bullet in his hand.

Lucen raised his arm, and a glint of silver was in his hand. It was the first time the people of Ironhold had seen such an item.

He pulled the trigger, and a thunderous crack split the air. The thunderclap echoed off the stone walls, a sound no one in Ironhold had ever heard. Eyes widened. A few ducked instinctively. Gasps followed, but no one was harmed. After the ringing in their ears faded, they heard Lucen shout.

”For Norvaegard!”

The crowd cheered wildly and shouted in joy.

”For Norvaegard!”

”Long live the Dragon Slayers!”

”Glory to the Thorneharts!”

”All hail Lucen the Dragon Slayer!”

Children happily run alongside the wagons. A bard jots down lines greatly inspired by the scene before him.

Lucen, who was in the center of attention, was full of dignity. He was the very image of a true knight, but deep inside, he was reacting differently.

’What was that, did I actually say those words. Damn, if my past self said those lines in front of a crowd he might have fainted from embarrassment... Still, I can’t deny that,’ Lucen looked at the smiling children shouting at him with glee, saying he was a dragon slayer, ’this actually feels good.’