Chapter 33 God and Devil

  A powerful, monstrous maw appeared before them, accompanied by two piercing golden eyes. Its head, adorned with jagged spikes that almost resembled a crown, loomed menacingly. The monstrous dragon carved its way through the cavern, using its immense power and size to force itself through the massive gash in the rock left by its previous formidable attack.

  “GRRRAWWW!” Deborah roared back at the fearsome beast, her dark energy flaring wildly as she lunged at the dragon without hesitation.

  “No!” Iryoku shouted, panic surging through him as he sprinted after her, fearing the worst.

  Deborah’s claws pulsed with demonic energy as she raised her hand and struck the dragon’s head with all her might. The impact sent a thunderous boom echoing through the cavern, shaking the very foundation of the mountain. A shockwave of raw power erupted from the collision, crackling with energy as it surged outward.

  Iryoku was flung backward, his body rattled to the core. His bones vibrated from the sheer force. When he managed to steady himself, his breath hitched at the sight before him—Deborah’s attack had landed. The dragon’s massive head lurched backward, the sheer force of her strike momentarily overpowering the beast.

  But the moment of victory was short-lived. A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the air, reverberating off the cavern walls. The dragon’s eyes burned with fury as its throat began to glow, the ominous light intensifying with each passing second. The beast was preparing to unleash another devastating blast of energy.

  Deborah, now at point-blank range, she braced herself to strike again.

  Without thinking, Iryoku hurled his harpoon toward her, his only thought being to get her out of the way. By sheer luck, the rope managed to wrap around her arm just in time. The white cord pulsed with bright energy as he yanked it with all his strength.

  “Quickly! Dodge!” he screamed.

  In that split second, the dragon unleashed its beam, vaporizing everything in its path in a blinding explosion of light and energy. The cavern trembled violently as dust and debris erupted into the air, shards of rock pelting their bodies like bullets.

  Deborah and Iryoku were thrown against the cavern wall, barely escaping the devastating blast. Iryoku winced as fresh burns seared his skin, reopening old wounds that had only recently healed. Pain flared through his body, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to push through. There was no time to falter.

  Deborah, undeterred, lunged once more at the colossal beast as the dust settled. The dragon’s full body now emerged from the shadows, towering over them. Its scales shimmered with a sinister red glow, and its golden eyes burned with visible hatred as it locked its gaze onto them.

  “GRRRAAAAWW!” Deborah screeched, her energy surging as she braced for another clash.

  The dragon retaliated with a powerful swipe of its massive claw, aiming directly for her head. But with unparalleled speed, Deborah met the attack head-on, her own claw colliding with the beast’s in an earth-shattering impact. A deafening crack echoed through the cavern as shockwaves ripped through the air, splintering the walls around them. The rocky ground beneath them crumbled under the sheer force of their clash.

  Iryoku barely managed to withstand the massive shockwave, using every ounce of his agility to dodge the debris exploding in all directions. His eyes widened in disbelief. For the first time, a ray of hope ignited within him—she wasn’t just surviving; she was fighting back. She was strong enough to withstand and counter the attacks of a monstrous creature like this.

  Even the dragon seemed momentarily taken aback. Its golden eyes flickered with surprise before narrowing in pure, unrestrained rage. With a deep growl, it launched another attack, slashing at Deborah with even greater speed and fury.

  Effortlessly, she dodged the incoming strike, her movements swift and precise. A faint trail of dark energy crackled in her wake, sparking against the cavern air. Then, in a flash, she lunged straight at the dragon’s chest, her claws glowing with raw, untamed power.

  “GRRRWWW!” she roared, driving her strike into the beast with titanic force.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Another thunderous crash echoed through the cavern, like an explosion detonating on impact. The dragon’s massive body staggered backward, the sheer power of Deborah’s attack forcing it to retreat a few steps.

  it wasn’t enough.

  The dragon, though momentarily pushed back, showed no signs of yielding. Its eyes blazed with fury, its chest heaving as it prepared to unleash even greater wrath upon them.

  Iryoku, witnessing Deborah's ferocity, felt a surge of courage ignite within his battered body. I need to do something—I need to help her somehow.

  Gritting his teeth against the searing pain of his wounds, he pushed forward, sprinting into the chaos. Jagged debris rained down from the crumbling cavern above, but he wove through the destruction with unwavering determination. With swift precision, he unleashed a flurry of throwing blades, aiming for the dragon’s eyes—its only apparent weakness.

  But his heart plummeted as the blades struck the beast’s pupils and shattered on impact, reduced to useless shards.

  Terror flashed in his eyes. Even his sharpest weapons had failed. It’s impossible... he thought, dread creeping into his veins.

  Deborah seized the moment, her claws slashing across the dragon’s armored forearm. Sparks erupted from the clash, but the beast’s crimson scales remained unscathed. Fearless, she pressed on, her growls reverberating through the cavern like a war cry.

  The dragon’s golden eyes, burning with eerie intelligence, narrowed as it began to charge another devastating death ray.

  Deborah tensed, preparing to dodge—until she realized the attack wasn’t aimed at her.

  Iryoku, preoccupied with dodging debris and enduring the shockwaves of the battle, he barely had time to react.

  A chilling dread gripped him as the beam’s glow intensified, flooding the cavern with blinding light. Time seemed to slow. Desperation took over as he flung his harpoon to the side, hoping to propel himself out of the blast’s path.

  But it was too late. The attack was already unleashed.

  Deborah turned, her eyes widening with frightening,"Iryuuuu" she screamed with concern. Then, in a blur of movement, she Charged at full speed. Before Iryoku could react, she crashed into him, shoving him out of harm’s way.

  The beam struck her instead, engulfing her entire body.

  A deafening explosion of light consumed the cavern, its blinding brilliance momentarily erasing everything from view.

  “NOOOOO!” Iryoku’s scream tore through the air as he tumbled across the rocky ground, the force of Deborah’s push sending him clear of the blast. Tears streamed down his face as his ears rang with her agonized cries of pain.

  As the blinding light faded, Deborah, silhouette remained standing—barely. Her arms trembled as they shielded her body, dark energy pulsing around her in a protective aura. The silver cloak that once draped over her was gone, incinerated by the blast. Her fur skirt had vanished as well, leaving her body exposed—charred, scarred, and marred with searing burns. Pain wracked her form, yet she refused to fall.

  Then, her gaze shifted.

  Iryoku lay motionless, his body broken and burned, twisted like a discarded doll.

  A deep, growl rumbled in her throat as something inside her snapped. Rage, pure and consuming, surged through her veins, drowning out the pain.

  Her eyes—once vibrant—became pitch-black voids, swirling with demonic energy. A primal roar tore from her lips as raw power erupted around her, crackling like black lightning. Without hesitation, she lunged at the dragon, her claws glowing with malevolent energy as they slashed through its armor-like scales, carving barely visible wounds into its massive form.

  The struggle raged on, the stakes rising with every passing second.

  Iryoku lay on the ground, barely clinging to consciousness. Pain wracked his body, his limbs felt like lead, yet sheer will forced him to move. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up, his breath ragged and unsteady. Blood dripped from his lips as he stumbled forward, his gaze locked onto the relentless battle between Deborah and the colossal beast.

  I have to do something. Even if it’s just a distraction.

  He reached for another set of throwing blades, gripping them tightly despite his trembling hands. With a burst of effort, he hurled them toward the dragon’s eyes. The blades shattered upon impact once again, but this time, they served their purpose—the dragon flinched, its attention momentarily split.

  Deborah seized the opening.

  With unrelenting fury, her claws struck like a relentless storm, clashing into the beast's armorer flesh in rapid, machine-gun-like swipes. The sheer force of her assault made the dragon stagger back, struggling to maneuver within the confines of the cavern.

  Then, with a deafening roar, the dragon spread its colossal wings.

  A powerful gust erupted as it flapped, sending hurricane-like winds surging outward. The cavern walls trembled under the force, massive chunks of rock crumbling and crashing to the ground. Crimson energy pulsed around its body, surging with power.

  As the beast ascended, its massive form rising into the air, Deborah refused to let it escape. With a fierce battle cry, she launched herself onto its head, her claws clung to the monster, unwilling to relent.

  Below, the cavern floor crumbled. Iryoku darted through the chaos, evading falling debris before launching his harpoon at the dragon. But his aim was off—he missed by a wide margin. Just as frustration set in, the rope pulsed with energy, responding to his will. It twisted through the air like a living thing, wrapping tightly around the beast’s leg.

  Without hesitation, Iryoku clung to the rope as the dragon carried him into the sky. The wind howled around him, slashing at his battered body like knives. His wolf armor barely held together, deep gashes forming as he was dragged higher and higher into the frozen abyss above...