Shut Up, Malevolent Dragon! I Don’t Want to Have Any More Children With You

The oppressive aura radiating from the figure before them was far beyond anything a typical dangerous creature could exude.
Helena instinctively took a step back, her icy blue eyes flickering with panic and fear. This fear seemed ingrained in her very bloodline; no matter how much she told herself to stay calm, her trembling lips betrayed her.

“What… what kind of dangerous creature is that…” Helena’s voice quivered.
The situation had shifted drastically in an instant.  
Just moments ago, she and Noa had been tracking traces of an A-level creature.  
Now, before the monstrosity in front of them, there was no time to think, let alone react.
---

Noa’s usual fearlessness was put to the test. She rarely felt true fear, always managing to compose herself in dire situations.  
Whether ambushing the Star Wanderer Dragon King to free her parents from a spatial barrier or facing Konstantin in the Arctic ruins, she had forced herself to confront her fears head-on.
But this was different.
The overwhelming pressure before her felt like a towering mountain pressing down on her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She clenched her fists tightly, her pink nails digging into her palms to jolt her mind back to clarity.  

Her eyes narrowed as the figure’s form came into focus.  
A one-eyed, crimson-gazed behemoth radiating black energy, its massive frame a grotesque blend of °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° dragon and wolf-like features. In its hand, it wielded a massive warhammer.
---
“That’s no dangerous creature, Helena,” Noa said through gritted teeth.  

“Then… what is it?”  
“A dragon,” Noa whispered, retreating a half-step.  
This was no ordinary dragon.  

“Dragon King.”
Without hesitation, she grabbed Helena’s wrist, forcing her to run. “Run!”  
---

The aura emanating from this Dragon King explained the fear they felt in their very blood.  
A Dragon King’s presence alone was enough to paralyze weaker beings, leaving them defenseless.  
For most humans, the mere weight of such an aura would render them unable to even raise a weapon.
Noa, still just a young dragonling nearing graduation, had no hope of defeating such a foe. That she managed to force herself to think rationally and flee while dragging Helena was, in itself, extraordinary.  
They sprinted through the outer zone of the Demonic Moon Forest, Helena’s dazed eyes fixed on the small hand holding hers. The warmth and pulse of Noa’s grip brought her back to reality.

“Noa…” Helena began, her voice shaky. But before she could finish, a deep, thunderous footstep echoed behind them.
---
*Thud.*
*Thud.*

*Thud!*  
The steps grew heavier and faster, each one shaking the ground beneath them. Helena turned her head, her pupils contracting in terror.
The Dragon King, gripping its massive warhammer, was pursuing them.

“He’s catching up!” Helena shouted, her voice laced with panic.  
“I hear him,” Noa responded, her gaze fixed ahead.
She refused to look back. She knew that meeting the creature’s gaze would only deepen her fear and weaken her resolve to survive.

---
Noa’s mind raced as she analyzed the situation.  
The two A-level creatures they had encountered earlier? This Dragon King had killed them. The injuries on their bodies matched the hammer’s destructive power.  
But if his original target had been the dangerous creatures, why was he now chasing them?

Helena was too frightened to respond, her voice failing her. The thunderous footsteps behind them drowned out the sound of her thoughts. The ground quaked with every step, shaking loose leaves and scaring away the forest’s wildlife.
Noa tightened her grip on Helena’s hand. “Run, Helena! We can’t stop here! He’ll kill us!”  
“We took about 30 minutes to get here. If we keep running at this pace, we can reach the outer zone in ten minutes.”

“Once we’re there, the teachers will help us. We’ll be safe. Do you hear me, Helena? We have to keep going—”
---
A massive shadow leaped overhead, landing directly in their path with an earth-shattering *crash*.  

Noa skidded to a halt, instinctively stepping in front of Helena. Her heart pounded in her chest, the sound deafening in her ears.  
The Dragon King stood before them, his towering frame cloaked in swirling black energy. His single, glowing crimson eye locked onto Noa with an unnerving intensity.
He tilted his head, speaking in a low, gravelly tone.  
“So you’re the child of the man Shadow mentioned.”

Noa’s breathing quickened as she struggled to maintain composure. Her hand gripped the hilt of her dagger tightly.
The Dragon King’s gaze flicked to her weapon.  
“Lightning magic, is it? That confirms it.”  
He sneered, raising his hammer. “A couple of academy pests tried to keep me out of here. Something about an exam and not interfering.”  

“Hmph, nonsense. What a waste of my time.”
His voice grew colder. “But who would’ve thought I’d stumble upon such an *unexpected surprise* during this little game of yours?”
He pointed the hammer at Noa. “Killing you will surely increase my reward.”

---
“Helena! What do we do?” Helena’s trembling voice came from behind.  
Noa was also terrified, but her mind clung to the information she had just gathered:  
1. His original target had been the dangerous creatures, not them.  
2. He had knowledge about her—and her father.  
3. He was a mercenary, working for someone called *Shadow,* who likely had a grudge against her father.

She sheathed her dagger. This wasn’t the time to provoke him. Any reckless action could spell their end.  
Grabbing Helena’s hand again, Noa shouted, “Run! Don’t stop!”  
---

The Dragon King watched the two girls flee, a mocking grin spreading across his face. Resting the hammer on his shoulder, he muttered, “Run, little ones. Let’s see how far you get.”  
As they disappeared into the forest, he chuckled darkly to himself.  
“Thirty years ago, the other child was far more obedient.”  
---

The thickening fog of the inner zone worked to Noa and Helena’s advantage, obscuring their trail. Hidden within a tree hollow, they peeked out cautiously, ensuring their pursuer wasn’t nearby.  
Noa turned to Helena, gently cupping her face. Their blue eyes met, fear reflected in both pairs. Helena suddenly hugged Noa tightly, her voice trembling.  
“Are we… are we going to die here, Noa?”  

Helena’s voice broke as she clung to her friend’s shoulder, her composure finally shattering. She had always been a well-behaved, traditional girl, raised under her mother’s strict rules. But this situation was beyond anything she had ever faced.  
Noa hugged her back, softly patting her shoulder. “We’ll be okay, Helena. I promise.”  
She had often heard her father make such promises, and he had always kept them. But now, in the face of such overwhelming danger, Noa could only hope to do the same.

---
Before Helena could respond, a loud *crack* broke the silence.  
A towering tree snapped in half, its trunk crashing down to expose their hiding spot.  

The Dragon King loomed over them, his crimson eye gleaming with sadistic glee.  
“So here you are, little princesses. Ready to die?”  
He raised his hammer high, bringing it down with devastating force.  

*BOOM!*  
The hammer obliterated the tree roots, scattering debris and clearing the surrounding fog. But as the dust settled, the Dragon King frowned.  
“Something’s not right,” he muttered.  

The feel of his hammer striking the ground was off. Lifting it, he found nothing but broken wood and dirt.  
“What—?”
Before he could finish, Noa, holding Helena in her arms, flashed behind him in a blur of silver and black.  

Her skirt fluttered as she landed in a half-kneeling position, her silver-black hair trailing in the air’s momentum.  
**"Nine Infernos: Gate Four—Divine Speed."**