The Primal Hunter Chapter 1233 - Dragon Hunter (2)

Jake had entered this confrontation with extreme care, far exceeding his typical level of wariness. In his mind, True Dragons commanded immense respect, and he intended to treat such a creature with the gravity he felt it deserved.

Furthermore, his instincts warned him that Yrelstromoz was an exceptionally formidable opponent. These factors led Jake to play defensively, restraining his true capabilities even though he could have easily intensified his assault. Despite having his boosting skills active at maximum capacity from the start, placing him near his peak strength, he remained hesitant, refusing to commit fully to any single strike to avoid leaving himself vulnerable.

However, Yrelstromoz’s attitude and her methodology in this duel were beginning to grate on Jake’s nerves. While her initial defense had been somewhat impressive, everything she had done since then had been an utter letdown.

To start, her physical appearance was nonsensical. Yrelstromoz was clad in a set of flashy, ostentatious armor. As a True Dragon and a monster, equipment was generally useless; monsters didn't gain stats from gear. Judging by how effortlessly his projectiles had pierced the metal, it clearly wasn't specialized equipment designed for her kind.

It was nothing more than a shallow fashion choice. The armor served no real purpose, functioning more like a decorative gown than protection. Any defensive utility it possessed came solely from the energy she pumped into it. She could have achieved the same result by simply manifesting a standard barrier.

While some monsters utilized armor—like Scarlett’s snakeskin attire—those items were integrated into their biology via the Polymorph skill. Yrelstromoz clearly lacked such a refinement.

Then there was the matter of her weapon. Monsters using armaments wasn't unheard of, but it was usually limited to weapons summoned through skills or crafted from their own essence. Her blade was neither; it was just a massive crystal shard with a grip. She was even squandering her Qi and focus to infuse it with energy just to enhance its aesthetic appeal.

Beyond her gear, her combat technique was abysmal. It was painfully obvious she had no idea how to wield a sword. Even if she possessed the skill, it didn't complement her natural abilities, making the choice even more idiotic. From Jake’s observations, she was clearly a caster, yet she was "playing around" with a crystal slab, acting as if she were merely toyed with a weak C-grade who had overstepped.

Jake knew he had been holding back, but her blatant underestimation of him—believing he wasn't even worth her full attention—was deeply insulting.

Fine. He would be more than happy to show her the consequences of such arrogance.

Yrelstromoz failed to notice the shift in Jake’s aura. She didn't even seem concerned when he stowed his bow and manifested a katar in each hand.

If she wanted a close-quarters engagement, Jake would oblige. If she refused to take him seriously and utilize her true strengths, he would match her energy, though with the distinct advantage that he was a master of both melee and ranged combat.

The dragon, seemingly waiting for Jake to exhaust his stamina, was caught completely off guard when he ceased his retreat. Instead of firing more arrows, he lunged forward, closing the distance instantly.

She reacted instinctively with a burst of light, but the passive shield from Jake’s Arcane Awakening and the scales beneath his gear absorbed the impact. The blast failed to slow his momentum even slightly.

Jake drove a punch forward, burying Eternal Hunger through her "armor" and deep into her torso. The True Dragon’s eyes went wide with shock. She tried to retreat and swing her sword, but Jake was faster, landing a second strike on her arm before she could complete the motion.

Panicking, she transformed into a streak of light to flee backward, only for a katar to meet her there. Jake had easily anticipated her path, highlighting her total lack of combat experience once again.

With a pained grunt, she spun around with a desperate sword swing. Jake ducked under the blade, used a platform of mana for traction, and delivered a powerful kick to her jaw that sent her spiraling into the air.

Refusing to give her a moment to recover, Jake pursued. His twin katars became a blur of steel, raining down a barrage of stabs and slashes. Yrelstromoz struggled to defend herself, but the only real damage she inflicted was on Jake’s pride as his disappointment in her grew.

Jake couldn't fathom her thought process as he continued the beating. Did she honestly believe he was about to collapse? Was she unable to gauge the severity of her own injuries? Or was she simply a masochist seeking her own end?

Regardless, Jake didn't stop. He tore into the True Dragon, shredding her armor until it fell away in broken pieces. Yrelstromoz continued her futile resistance, waving her useless crystal sword between desperate attempts to dodge.

Her constant flashes of light were little more than a nuisance. Jake waited for her to show some real power. Finally, after a full minute of being completely dominated, the haughty dragon seemed to realize Jake wasn't going to tire out.

As he moved in for another hit, her body erupted in a flash of light far more intense than previous ones. This burst had a physical weight to it, shoving Jake back. Before he could re-engage, he was forced to pivot as a lethal beam of light streaked toward his head.

“You… who are you!? What are you!?” Yrelstromoz shrieked, her energy levels surging. Suddenly, the sky was cluttered with glowing orbs, surrounding Jake with threats. Through the shimmering air, Jake saw a furious Yrelstromoz, her body covered in gashes, pointing a trembling finger at him.

Jake didn't bother answering her question; he didn't feel she had earned one yet. He simply attacked. Over a thousand light beams rained down, forcing him to teleport repeatedly until he was back within reach of her.

Instead of her sword, she held out a hand, summoning a magic circle that released a concussive wave of light. Jake met the force head-on, coating his katar in volatile arcane mana. He punched through the wave, causing an explosion that neutralized her spell and allowed him to bury his second weapon into her chest.

He landed another deep stab, but this time Yrelstromoz had predicted the move. Six magic circles materialized around him—forming a cage of pure power.

In an instant, they detonated, bathing both of them in a searing light that burned Jake’s skin and blinded him. Relying on his sphere, he sensed Yrelstromoz’s hands transform into energy-claws as she lunged for his face. Since he didn't need sight to fight, Jake countered effortlessly.

Using a katar for each hand, he intercepted her claws and drove his blades through her wrists, halting her attempt to maim him. The dragon was stunned once more, and her shock only deepened when Jake delivered a brutal head-butt to her nose, shattering the bone.

She yanked her arms back and retreated, throwing out a fan of piercing light to keep him at bay. Jake was forced to block, taking a few minor puncture wounds on his forearms.

She could clearly do some damage when she tried, but Jake wasn't about to give her the opportunity. He lunged back into the fray.

They tore through the sky as Yrelstromoz unleashed spell after spell. Yet, no matter her efforts, Jake either brushed off the damage or avoided it entirely, while his own strikes continued to land with precision.

Despite the intensity, only a short time had passed since Jake’s first attack, but Yrelstromoz was looking ragged. Her armor was a wreck, her sword had been lost to the winds, and she was covered in nearly a hundred wounds.

Jake, by comparison, only had a few superficial burns and small cuts. He could have avoided even those if he weren't being so aggressive, but he had no intention of slowing down.

His irritation at her lack of seriousness remained. Even though she had finally abandoned the sword, she still wasn't fighting with everything she had despite her mounting injuries. This stubbornness only fueled Jake’s anger, especially after a frustrating realization.

Despite the heavy doses of toxin he had applied, his Dragonsbane Poison wasn't working. He could barely sense its presence within her, and what little remained was being neutralized naturally.

Initially, Jake feared his recipe was flawed or that she wasn't a True Dragon, but he quickly understood the issue. Dragonsbane Poison was designed to target a dragon's specific Soulshape, particularly how they circulate magic.

To work, the target had to actually be in their dragon form, not a humanoid Polymorph state. Jake couldn't understand why she was still refusing to transform.

Was she really going to die in this weak form out of pure ego? She had already lost a significant portion of her health, and soon her physical body would begin to fail.

Jake couldn't wrap his head around her logic, but if she wanted to die like this, so be it. He decided to force the issue.

After another exchange where he dictated the pace, Jake created a massive opening. He parried her clawed hand, leaving her wide open, and struck with Piercing Fang.

The katar sank deep into her side. Before she could push him away, Jake triggered a Venom Burst via Fangs of the Malefic Viper, sending a shockwave of concentrated poison through her internal systems.

She let out a scream of agony, and her magic exploded outward in a massive pillar of light. Jake tried to dodge, but a second beam followed immediately, forcing him to guard.

The physical force of the light shoved him upward, searing his flesh. Gritting his teeth, he reinforced his body with arcane energy, halting his backward slide and diving out of the beam's path.

Seeing an opening as Yrelstromoz clutched the festering wound in her gut, Jake dove toward her. She spotted him at the last second, but Jake was faster, triggering Primal Gaze.

Her spirit and body locked up, her mana stalling. Jake reached her instantly. Eternal Hunger slammed into her face, piercing through her cheek and out the back of her neck. The force of the impact sent her hurtling toward the planet below.

Jake didn't let go. He gripped her face, accelerating their descent. His hand began to glow with a dark green hue as he used Touch of the Malefic Viper, forcing even more toxins into her as they plummeted through the cloud layers.

The speed of their fall increased as Jake pushed her down. She struggled to break his grip, but it was too late. They cleared the final clouds, and the ground rushed up to meet them.

Jake slammed her head into the rocky surface like a falling star. The impact was cataclysmic, vibrating through the entire planet. A massive crater swallowed the landscape, turning the surrounding mountains and canyons into a jagged arena.

With his katar still embedded in her skull, Jake stared into Yrelstromoz’s eyes. One eye was already clouded by necrosis. He expected to see terror or confusion, but instead, he found a look of sudden clarity.

“You’re the Chosen of the Malefic Viper,” she wheezed through a mouth of blood. Her voice was calm and certain; she wasn't guessing.

Before Jake could reply, his danger sense screamed. He leaped backward just as a massive pillar of light descended from the heavens, engulfing Yrelstromoz.

He summoned Eternal Hunger back to his hand, watching as the energy within the light began to shift and grow.

“I should apologize for not recognizing your station sooner, but after your assault, apologies are meaningless,” Yrelstromoz’s voice rang out, deepening with power. “Knowing your identity… there is no shame in facing you with my full strength.”

The light dissipated, revealing a True Dragon in her natural glory. Her body was covered in pale yellow scales that shimmered in the sun. She unfurled two massive wings, her aura skyrocketing to a terrifying new height.

Jake noticed immediately that all her previous wounds had vanished. As he felt the lingering mana of her self-healing magic, he remembered a key detail about her lineage:

The Lumenflight were renowned as the greatest healers among all Dragonkind.