At 4 AM, 100 of the kingdom's elite knights had assembled on the royal training grounds. All were members of the 'Dragon Slayer Squad' formed under Cael's command.
Cael, clad in black armor, ascended the platform. A red aura, emanating from Akbajar's Core, enveloped his body, radiating an overwhelming presence.
"Knights!" Cael's voice echoed across the training ground. "Today, we embark on the most perilous mission in the kingdom's history. But do not fear. We have a strategy for victory!"
Leon, Aria, and Garon stood beside Cael. Elisa, dressed in a mage's robe, was also with them.
"Scout reports indicate," Cael continued, "the dragon horde is currently crossing the northern Cross Mountains. We will launch a preemptive strike before they reach the plains."
A knight raised a hand. "Captain, against twelve dragons, how can we...?"
Cael smiled. "We'll take them down one by one. I know their weaknesses."
[System Alert: Dragon Language Acquired] [Dragon Behavior Pattern Analysis Enabled] [Weakness Detection Ability Activated]
Northern entrance of the Cross Mountains. Cael and the Dragon Slayer Squad moved along the rugged mountain path. Thanks to his past life's memories, Cael knew the exact route the dragons would take.
"There." Cael pointed to a steep cliff. "The dragons will pass through that gorge. We'll launch a pincer attack from both cliffs."
Aria scanned the sky with her telescope. "I don't see anything yet."
"They're coming soon." Akbajar's Core pulsed ever stronger in Cael's chest. "They'll arrive in ten minutes."
Leon drew his sword. "What's the plan this time?"
"The dragons fly in a group, but they'll line up when passing through the gorge. That's our chance," Cael explained. "Garon, you distract the lead dragon. Aria, you target the second dragon. Leon and Elisa, you're with me against the biggest one."
Elisa raised her staff. "Ready."
Just then, colossal shadows began to appear from the northern sky. Black-scaled dragons, dragons emitting blue ice energy, fire-breathing red dragons...
A total of twelve dragons filled the sky as they flew closer.
"Ugh..." Gasps erupted among the knights. Some dragons looked even larger than Akbajar.
But Cael remained calm. He used [Dragon Language] to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"I smell humans." "They're ambushing us in the gorge below." "Insignificant creatures. Let's burn them all at once."
Cael quickly gestured. "Change positions! They've spotted us!"
The dragons flew over the gorge and simultaneously unleashed their breaths. Flames, ice, lightning, and poison swept through the cliffs.
"Form a defensive perimeter!" Garon shouted, raising his massive shield. The mages cast protective barriers, but the dragons' attack power was beyond imagination.
"We'll be annihilated at this rate!" Leon cried.
Cael made a decisive call. "Change of plans! Direct assault!"
Cael leaped off the cliff. As he activated [Dragon Slayer Swordsmanship] mid-air, a golden aura erupted from his sword.
"Kryaaaaak!" The lead black dragon charged at Cael.
Cael, leveraging his past life's experience, precisely struck the vital point beneath the dragon's neck. [Akbajar's Core] resonated, doubling the sword's power.
"Guaaaah!" The black dragon screamed and plummeted.
[Experience gained: 5000] [Dragon Slain: 1/12]
"He did it!" Aria cheered, drawing her bowstring. A magical arrow pierced the wing of the second dragon.
However, the remaining eleven dragons began their counterattack. Among them, one particularly massive red dragon charged directly at Cael.
"Are you the human who killed Akbajar!" the red dragon roared in Dragon Language.
Cael replied in Dragon Language. "Yes. And you shall meet the same fate!"
The red dragon's eyes widened in surprise. "A human speaks Draconic?!"
Seizing that moment of confusion, Cael activated [Dragon Slayer's Ultimate Skill: Dragon God Blade]. A massive sword energy, cleaving the sky, flew toward the red dragon.
"Krooooh!" The red dragon narrowly dodged, but the sword energy sliced off its right wing.
"Now!" Leon and Elisa attacked simultaneously. Leon's [Holy Light Swordsmanship] and Elisa's [9th Circle Lightning Magic] struck the red dragon in succession.
[Experience gained: 8000] [Dragon Slain: 2/12]
But the joy of victory was short-lived, as the remaining ten dragons, enraged, attacked all at once. The situation became critical.
"Cael!" Garon shouted, blocking an attack from a blue dragon. "At this rate, we'll fall first!"
Cael knew that. No matter how much stronger he had become, facing ten dragons simultaneously was too much.
Just then, a system window appeared.
[Emergency Quest Initiated] [Awaken Allies' Potential] [Reward: Simultaneous Party Level Up]
'This is it!' Cael realized.
"Everyone, gather around me!" Cael shouted. "I'll share my power!"
Cael transferred the power of [Akbajar's Core] to his companions. A red aura enveloped Leon, Aria, Garon, and Elisa.
[Party Buff: Dragon Slayer's Blessing] [All stats increased by 300%] [Maximum resistance to dragons]
"This... this power!" Unprecedented light emanated from Leon's sword.
Aria's arrow pierced through a dragon's scales, and Garon's shield completely blocked a dragon's breath. Elisa's magic froze three dragons at once.
"Now! All-out attack!" Cael charged at the forefront.
A perfect teamwork of five unfolded. For Cael, who had struggled alone in his previous life, it was a dream come true.
Thirty minutes later, the last dragon fell.
[Quest Complete: Avert the Dragon Invasion] [Level Up: 11 → 15] [New Title Acquired: 'Dragon Lord'] [Legendary Equipment Acquired: Dragon Lord's Armor]
Cael smiled, looking at his companions. "We did it."
But a much larger shadow was moving in the distant sky. The real threat was just beginning.