*Puff, puff.*
‘I’m so tired… when is this mountain path going to end?’
After settling those two little ones, I set off on schedule with the Hero’s party to embark on the quest to conquer the Demon Dragon King.
The Demon Dragon King’s castle was built on the highest peak of the entire continent.
Since the dragon race could fly, the higher they lived, the better they could form a natural barrier to protect themselves.
I understood the logic, of course.
Even though I had expected it, when I saw the mountain range stretching to the horizon with my own eyes, I still couldn’t help but feel stunned.
And so, our group began the long, arduous journey of mountain climbing.
Speaking of which, I finally managed to gain a bit of a presence in the group.
If it weren’t for the constant buff magic I cast, everyone would have been collapsed on the ground from exhaustion long before reaching the summit, unable to move a muscle.
I didn’t know how long we had been climbing, but just as my feet were starting to feel like two numb wooden sticks, the silhouette of the dragon castle finally appeared faintly in the distance.
*Thump, thump, thump.*
With every step I took forward, I could clearly hear my own heartbeat racing, so fast it felt like it would burst through my chest.
I was deathly nervous right now.
It wasn’t just because I was about to face an unknown and powerful enemy, but also because I was worried about those two helpless little guys at the foot of the mountain.
That was why I had to approach this battle with the determination to sink the ships and break the bridges.
Of course, if the Hero’s party really couldn’t beat the Demon Dragon King… I would squeeze out every buff spell I knew, use every life-saving scroll I had hidden, and drain all the potential from my body…
And then run for my life!
Hehe, if I can’t win, can’t I at least outrun them?
As the most powerful Auxiliary Mage in humanity, I was quite confident in my own escaping skills.
Before I knew it, the magnificent castle stood right before our eyes.
My companions in the Hero’s party and I exchanged a look, nodding to one another.
*Bang!*
Then, the Hero, as the leader of the team, kicked open the heavy main gates of the castle.
“Demon Dragon King… come at us!”
*Clang! Ting! Clatter.*
The crisp and ear-piercing sound of clashing blades echoed back and forth around my ears.
I stood to the side, maintaining nimble footwork to dodge the elite monsters trying to flank the support while constantly layering buffs on my companions.
‘This is ridiculous.’
Unlike the previous dungeons that we could clear quickly and easily, the enemy strength this time was genuinely high.
The thick dragon scales on the ordinary soldiers required several slashes even from the Hero in his full-combat mode to take down.
Still, this level of trouble was likely only a matter of exerting a bit more effort for the Hero.
I felt like this guy had become stronger again; it was almost as if he were using cheats in a game.
I saw five elite monsters surround him at once, launching a simultaneous attack.
Anyone else would have been trapped with no way out, right?
But guess what?
He actually teleported!
That’s right, teleportation!
‘Absurd!’
Although teleportation magic did exist, for a Mage like me, using it once would drain almost all of my mana, and it came with extremely strict distance limitations.
But this Hero—within just a few minutes, he used it several times in a row!
Seeing this scene, I began to doubt if I could even last until we saw the Demon Dragon King.
I was afraid I would cough up three liters of blood from pure frustration first.
Just how many trump cards was this guy hiding?
He never showed this move when we went on missions before!
Could he really have a “Golden Finger”?
Was I dealing with a cheater?
‘Sigh, I’m adorably stupid.’
I was so nervous before the battle started.
Thinking about it now, the one who should be nervous was clearly the Demon Dragon King.
Because I was distracted by these idle thoughts, I completely failed to notice the assassin monster creeping up behind me.
I only reacted when the creature swung its claws at close range.
The sharp dragon claws came at me with a gale of wind.
I lunged to the right, narrowly avoiding the lethal blow, but because my movement was too sudden, I lost my balance.
‘Crap, I’m going to faceplant in front of everyone!’
Just as I was about to perform a clumsy fall in front of the Hero’s party and the dragon soldiers—suddenly!
A figure rushed over as fast as the wind and caught me firmly in their arms.
‘Whoa, that speed… did the Hero save me?’
“Thank you…”
I had just looked down to give my thanks when I caught sight of the Hero pointing his sword at me.
No, he was pointing it at the person behind me.
That extreme speed, the soft sensation coming from behind me, and the instant, hostile glares from the members of the Hero’s party…
‘No way, right?’
I stiffly turned my head to look at the person holding me.
“You’re very welcome~”
A sweet voice rang in my ear.
The one holding me was indeed the Demon Dragon King herself!
Frightened, I quickly struggled to jump away, but with a gentle application of force, she held me firmly in her arms.
“Shush~ Don’t even think about running. I still need to use you as a hostage~”
‘What should I do now?’
After all my grand claims about running if we couldn’t win, I had been caught red-handed.
I didn’t even have a chance to escape!
‘Hero! Save your support, ahhh!’
“Don’t come any closer. I’m afraid I might accidentally crush his tiny little heart~”
The Demon Dragon King threatened the Hero with a smile, then leaned into my ear and spoke in a voice that only the two of us could hear.
“Hey, if you want to live, hurry up and cast some buff magic on me. Otherwise, I’ll tell them all about the strong scent of the Demon Race you’re carrying~”
!
Hearing this, my heart skipped a beat.
‘It’s over, it’s over. I’ve really dug my own grave. This is complete self-inflicted misery!’
However… I didn’t regret it one bit.
I gave a small, obedient nod.
Seeing this, the Demon Dragon King relaxed her grip slightly, giving me a bit of room to move.
Left with no choice, I stealthily cast the lowest-level speed and health buffs on her, praying silently that I could trick my way through this.
“Hehe, what a little trickster~ Oh well, I suppose it’s barely enough~”
The Demon Dragon King chuckled and tossed me aside.
I scrambled to adjust my posture in mid-air and managed a cool landing.
Then, I stood there in a daze, watching the intense battle between the Demon Dragon King and the Hero.
‘Afterimages? Are those afterimages?’
I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.
It was true!
They were moving so fast that I could only see blurred afterimages.
The other members of the Hero’s party and I looked at one another, our expressions more shocked than the last.
We all wanted to rush in and help, but… in a battle of this level, how were we supposed to help?
It was like two modern tanks shooting at each other while I was just a savage holding a spear.
‘Whatever!’
Even if I couldn’t help, I had to at least put on a show.
I gritted my teeth and raised my staff, releasing a buff magic toward the direction of the fight.
As a result… because the range of their battle was too wide, the magic actually covered both of the combatants.
In the next second, the two people whose movements I could previously barely see suddenly had their speed skyrocket.
Their figures turned into two completely blurred streaks.
I turned my head awkwardly toward the companions of the Hero’s party.
I saw them all staring at me in unison, their eyes clearly shouting: *Look at what you’ve done! Now even the chance to help is gone!*
Sigh, there was really nothing to be done.
I simply found a chair in the corner of the palace and sat down comfortably, planning to be a peaceful spectator.
So, for what comes next, everyone please wait and see who the final winner of this peak showdown will be…
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