Chapter 57 : The Dragon’s Massacre Begins (1)

A rustling noise came from behind the door, and Aurina perked up her ears to listen.

She heard the deep voice of a man grumbling, “Damn it. Didn’t I tell Sharpblade Hunter to stand guard outside?”

So Richard’s father is named Hunter, huh?

His “sharpblade” is still in her hands.

“Boss, it sounds like a kid. If she walks in, we can just grab her, toss a sack over her. There’s plenty of ocean around here.”

That must be Richard’s older brother.

Aurina mused silently.

“Please, I’m begging you—don’t hurt the child. I’ll help you send her away.”

“If you scream, remember—your gang of crippled orphans won’t outrun our long legs.”

Another man growled, “We’ll slaughter them like chickens, one by one.”

Hmm.

Sounds like Richard’s family is just as lively as hers.

Lots of spirited sibling interaction.

Aurina couldn’t wait any longer.

Standing on a stack of crates, she pounded on the door with both hands.

“Open up! Open the door right now! Granny Raya! I know you’re in there! If you don’t open this door, I’ll bust it down!”

The banging echoed through the wood, dust trickling down from the frame.

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Hehehe…”

A woman’s chuckle came from inside.

Moments later, the door creaked open just enough for a middle-aged woman to peek through.

It was Granny Raya.

Though older, she still carried herself with grace, brown hair neatly kept.

Her gaze instinctively dropped down—but there was no one.

Only a few wooden crates stacked on top of each other.

Aurina crossed her arms.

“Look up, peasant.”

Granny Raya tilted her head up—and saw Aurina standing imperiously atop three crates.

How could a mere insect look down upon the mighty Red Dragon King?

Since her height didn’t allow her to dominate naturally, Aurina had simply outwitted it—with stacked boxes!

“Excuse me, little lady, but where are your parents?”

Granny Raya glanced around.

“I’m here to find Richard’s family,” Aurina said. “Where are they hiding?”

“He’s an orphan. Abandoned as a child.”

Granny Raya’s tone was flat.

“You’ve got the wrong place, little one. Run along now.”

She started to close the door, but Aurina reached out and braced it with one hand.

The door froze in place.

“Geh heh heh… Trying to trick me, are you?”

Aurina kept her eyes fixed on the woman, who continued blocking the doorway.

There was no doubt now—Richard’s whole family was hiding behind her.

“Why would I lie to you?”

“Geh heh. I know Richard has a family,” Aurina declared.

“You—you must be his mother, right?”

“I’m barren, child. Now go home.”

“Open the door. I want to go inside. Let me see.”

Granny Raya tried to slam the door shut, but a large hand landed on her shoulder.

“Let her in,” a man’s voice said.

Aurina asked, “And which one are you?”

The door creaked open wider, revealing a round face behind Granny Raya.

Weathered and tanned, the man still wore a perpetual smile.

Granny Raya trembled, nearly begging as she reached to push Aurina away.

“Stop causing trouble, girl. Run! Go now! Aah—!”

The man yanked her back by the wrist, his grip firm and expression twisted into a serpent-like leer.

“What an adorable little thing. Come on in.”

“Sure!”

Aurina hopped down from the crates, still hugging one.

“Okay, potato-face. I’m coming in.”

Potato-face’s expression darkened.

He grabbed the door handle and slammed it shut.

The room plunged into darkness, cluttered and chaotic—drawers pulled open, clothes and books strewn across the floor.

“Geh? You guys moving out? Looks like poverty.”

Aurina scanned the mess.

The total value barely reached twelve gold coins.

Potato-face gave a signal.

In the dim interior, seven burly men slowly approached Aurina.

They moved with uncanny coordination, circling around her, avoiding the stone pillars, and surrounding her from all sides.

Though it was summer, each man wore baggy clothes that covered them from head to toe.

The faint clink of metal rang from beneath the fabric.

From behind her came the heavy steps of potato-face as he leaned against the door.

“So… you’re all Richard’s family?”

A wave of laughter rolled through the room.

“Yes, of course we are.”

“Run, girl!”

Granny Raya screamed, reaching for Aurina—but potato-face drew a short sword from his sleeve and struck her head with the pommel.

With a cry of pain, she collapsed to the floor, clutching her head.

“That’s right,” potato-face sneered. “I’m his father—ah!”

Aurina suddenly spun around and hurled the crate in her arms straight at his face.

Her movements were lightning-fast and without warning.

The throw was brutal and accurate—but potato-face, with impressive reflexes, raised his arm just in time to block.

The crate smashed against his forearm, shattering into splinters and briefly obscuring his vision.

Still, the man’s experience in combat kicked in.

He lashed out with a blind kick.

But Aurina was too fast.

Hidden by the debris, she rushed forward.

Seeing the kick coming, she twisted aside and stabbed upward with the sharp blade she held—slipping under the chainmail hidden beneath his clothes.

The knife pierced straight through—

A soft, egg-like object.

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!”

Potato-face’s face contorted into a grotesque grimace.

The overwhelming pain shot up his spine like lightning.

Even with torture resistance training, his body crumpled helplessly to the floor, curled up tight, blood and tears flowing freely.

Aurina grabbed a broken plank and jammed it under the door to block any escape.

She wasn’t about to let Richard’s “family” run away.

It had all happened so fast—it was she who’d ambushed them.

The remaining six paused for just a second—then immediately lunged to attack.

Just as Aurina wedged the plank into place, a flanged mace and a dagger came swinging from behind, both aimed at her head.

They had no mercy left.

Even if she was a child, the sight of their leader howling in agony had turned their instincts feral.

Aurina leapt toward the wall, sprang off it with a kick, and soared upwards, dodging the attack.

The dagger’s tip sliced through her hood as she twisted in the air—revealing two glowing red dragon horns.

“She’s a dragon?!”

From the wall, Aurina turned her head—then opened her mouth.

A jet of fire spewed forth, engulfing the six attackers from above.

The archer behind her dove and rolled behind a pillar.

The flames only singed a corner of his clothing—but Aurina came charging through the fire.

He swung his bow at her and drew a blade, but she spun and swept his legs out from under him with her tail.

As he fell, she pounced and drove the knife through his throat.

“She’s over there!”

“Surround her!”

One of them moved like a panther, flipping over furniture to flank her.

A curse spell whistled through the air—but crumbled before it could strike her.

Aurina’s tail coiled around the fallen archer’s bow. She twisted and fired.

The arrow curved unnaturally, snaking through the chaos.

The spellcaster barely saw it coming—before it embedded itself in his eye.

He collapsed with a thud.

From the original seven, only four remained.

Their leader, still curled on the ground, was wailing in agony.

The survivors hesitated.

They clustered toward the door.

One of them yanked at it—nothing.

“Geh heh heh,” Aurina giggled with wicked glee.

“Be good and tie yourselves up—otherwise, I’ll kill you all! Wipe out the whole family!”

A square-faced assassin dropped to a crouch and grabbed Granny Raya by the hair, lifting her head and holding a blade to her throat.

“Don’t come any closer! I’ll kill her!”

“That’s okay,” Aurina said cheerfully, inhaling deeply.

“As long as I keep a couple of you alive to use as bait for Richard, that works too! Geh heh heh!”

“We came here to kidnap Richard’s family—what the hell are you doing?!”

Aurina didn’t believe a word of it.

She breathed fire and lunged forward.

“Gah—!”