Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 647

Chapter 647 142.3 - Void Dragon

"SCREEEEECH!" The dragon's screech tore through the cavern, a sound so piercing it rattled my bones and forced me to brace myself. In that instant, I activated [Shadowborne]'s defensive form, [Shadow Embrace], and felt the comforting shroud of shadows coil around me, forming a protective layer that absorbed some of the incoming force. The explosion's shockwave hit me, fierce and unyielding, pushing against my body like a physical wall.

I gritted my teeth as the pressure settled on me—a crushing, suffocating weight, unlike anything I'd ever felt. Every inch of the air was saturated with the Void Dragon's raw, ancient mana, filling the cavern with an almost tangible presence. It was as if the very essence of the Void itself had come alive, pressing down on me with a relentless force that seeped through my defenses and settled heavily in my chest.

"SCREEEEECH!"

The sound was deafening, reverberating through every corner of the cavern, threatening to shake it apart. My ears rang, my vision swam, and I fought to maintain my focus, knowing that this was only the beginning.

And then, as the dust settled and my senses adjusted, I saw it.

The Void Dragon.

The creature before me was a monstrous sight, its scales dark as the deepest night, seeming to absorb every trace of light in the room. Veins of void energy pulsed along its massive body, glowing with an eerie, purplish hue that contrasted sharply against its pitch-black form. Its eyes, glowing like twin void stars, fixed on me with an intelligence that sent a chill down my spine. The sheer size of it was indeed huge; each breath it took caused the ground beneath my feet to tremble, the dense mana radiating from it distorting the air around it.

The dragon's wings unfurled, vast, and shadowy, each membrane stretching like a dark curtain that seemed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding shadows. The tendrils of void energy danced around its body, giving it an almost ethereal, otherworldly quality. It was both terrifying and mesmerizing—a primordial force given form, ancient and unyielding.

I couldn't afford to be distracted.

Taking a steadying breath, I tightened my grip on Celestalith, feeling the familiar hum of mana as it responded to my intent. My instincts screamed at me to retreat, to find cover, but I knew there would be no running from this. This was a battle where every moment counted, and I couldn't waste a single one.

The Void Dragon tilted its massive head, looking around to sense the presence of the mere intruder that dared to disturb its slumber. As I steadied myself, peering through the haze of mana and dust, I took in the Void Dragon's form. The sheer power emanating from it was staggering, but there was something… incomplete about it. Comparing it to the fully realized monster from the game, I noted the differences. This version was smaller, lacking the complete majesty and terror of its future self. Its dark, shimmering scales, though formidable, had patches where they appeared thinner, as if still developing. The massive tail, which in the game had been an impenetrable weapon, looked a touch shorter, less armored.

The most noticeable difference, however, was its wings. A mature Void Dragon should have two pairs, each one casting vast shadows capable of blotting out the sun. But here, only one pair was fully formed, while the second set barely extended past its back, stunted and skeletal, pulsing with incomplete veins of void energy. The dragon's body was still growing, still in the midst of its rebirth—a sign that my gamble had worked, at least partially.

But if the Void Dragon was aware of this, it wasn't happy about it.

"SCREEEEECH!"

Another piercing roar ripped through the cavern as it flailed, its wings smashing into nearby rock formations and sending boulders crashing to the ground. The dragon's eyes blazed, sweeping the cavern with furious intensity, searching for the intruder who had dared interrupt its slumber. Veins of void energy pulsed along its form, glowing angrily as if sensing its incomplete state and raging against it.

Each strike of its claws against the stone was thunderous, and I could feel the fury radiating from it. Shadows pooled at its feet, surging with each frustrated movement as the dragon's half-awakened strength struggled to stabilize.

I took a slow, measured breath, keeping my form concealed in the shadows, my grip tight on Celestalith.

'No need to waste any more time.'

The more the dragon went berserk, the more dangerous it would be for me, as there is a chance that it can find my presence, or discover me. 'I shouldn't rely on Shadowborne, as if it is omnipotent.'

That was why, it was the time to act. Without hesitation, I drew Celestalith, shifting it smoothly into its rifle form. The weapon hummed in my grip, resonating with my mana as I focused my aim on the Void Dragon's head, targeting its blazing, furious eyes. I poured compressed energy into each shot, feeling the familiar surge as the rifle prepared to unleash its devastating force.

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Three bullets shot from the rifle in quick succession, streaking toward the dragon's head with deadly precision. Each shot left a faint green trail in its wake, Celestalith's unique ability marking the path with ethereal tendrils that guided my vision to the target. I could see the trajectory clearly, the mana-infused bullets zeroing in on their mark.

The Void Dragon's eyes flared as the first shot hit, exploding in a burst of energy that forced it to reel back. The second and third bullets followed, striking just above its eyes and sending tendrils of green energy cascading down its face. "SCREEEEECH!" The impact forced the dragon to halt, its head snapping back as it let out a furious roar, shaking the very foundation of the cavern.