I Can Hear the Saint’s Inner Thoughts

15 – Phantom Dragon, Chameleon Dragon (3)

It was obvious at a glance. That thing wasn’t some fake.

It was a being stronger than the real deal.

The amount of magic it possessed seemed to dwarf mine by two or three times, easily. So, a dragon is indeed something a human can’t even compare to.

– Astal, what would you do when fighting an opponent with equal skill?

– Why are you suddenly asking me that, Master?

What my master had talked about long ago came to mind, and I knew the thing in front of me was not an opponent who could be taken down with a simple spell or two.

– You are the strongest mage on the continent now. To transcend your limits, you have no choice but to fight a lonely battle against yourself.

“…A lonely battle against myself, Master’s words are spot on.”

I couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile looking at the illusory dragon, the Chameleon Dragon, before me. It wasn’t like I hadn’t anticipated this kind of situation and had planned for it beforehand.

– Hmm…. I don’t understand it well, but if my opponent is me, I’d cast a rain spell first.

– Hooh, why do you think so? There must be a reason.

– Why? Well, the mages of the Blue Magic Tower are said to be the strongest when it rains, right?

“A spell to summon rain, Rain Call….”

That thing was the me of a week ago, or even something beyond that. The illusory dragon started by summoning rain with its first spell.

“…Going all out from the start, huh. Kyle! Anima! Get in close and aim for its hands! In the end, if both my arms are cut off, I won’t be able to do anything, so it must be similar. And stick a sword in its mouth to seal off its breath!”

I shouted towards my companions.

At the Magic Tower, they meticulously whittle away at the opponent with calculated plans, but this was a real battlefield.

A moment of carelessness or misjudgment could mean life or death. The reason why I threw away my staff and learned to use magic and fight hand-to-hand was all tied to this.

The result of my efforts to prevent people from dying before my very eyes was now a situation that was choking me by the throat.

“Understood, Astal…!”

“Got it. I’ll take care of the cover.”

Anima and Kyle nodded and rushed forward, and I started combining magic circles with both hands to protect them.

‘I need to consider the worst-case scenario. If it rains, each and every drop would be like a deadly bomb.’

Other mages wouldn’t need such preparation. It was because my clone was the one imitating me that it was dangerous.

I was the only mage who could transform each raindrop into a magic circle, capable of bombarding an enemy with them.

“The frigid cold of the north and the northern gales, manifest now and become the savage wolf’s howl, freezing the foe above the sky.”

I immediately combined the Frost Golem spell to create an ice-based familiar, and the Howling spell to manifest a wolf’s cry, to counter the opponent’s magic.

“…Frost Howler!”

As soon as I finished chanting, a giant wolf sculpted from ice appeared in the palm of my hand.

— Awooo!

A wolf, unleashing a raw, heavy howl towards the sky, so potent it seemed to force the rain back upwards.

Its howling created shockwaves, powerful enough to shatter the surrounding buildings.

“So, he’s blocking magic linked to rain right away. Truly a harmless mage…”

Seeing Kyle and Anima approach, Heoryong gave a wry smile, his gaze locking onto me. He immediately raised his palm, beginning to cast another spell.

“But, wasn’t deflecting raindrops upwards a miscalculation?”

A magic circle bloomed on his palm, it was ice magic. Gathering the surrounding moisture and droplets, it formed a gigantic icicle spike.

“…Grand Icicle Lance.”

“Dispel.”

*Crack!*

I instantly cast the same magic circle, colliding them. The principle was that two or more overlapping circles would either explode or lose their power.

‘My Dispel skill is superior. He’ll likely try to use his dragon advantages. In this form, even with deteriorated wings, he can fly.’

My mind raced ahead. If I were him, I’d spread my wings and ascend into the air immediately.

‘He’ll think similar to me, so I must always be one step ahead.’

A fierce competitiveness swelled within me. If he chose to transform into me, it must mean he sees me as the strongest or most troublesome opponent.

“You know what kind of prayer is needed, Victoria.”

“…Understood. You anticipate the opponent will take flight, being a dragon.”

I nodded at Victoria, signaling my request for her prayer. Without needing further explanation, we understood each other, having crossed many deadly lines together.

“Exactly.”

“If I couldn’t understand the heart of our party mage, I’d be unfit to be a saintess. Where would I find another man as straightforward as you?”

Victoria wore a faint smile, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. She purposely displayed the veins on her wrist while laughing.

I could understand why the Chameleon Dragon was so enraged. Considering these situations alone, we were quite a good match.

“Our Mother, who art in the heavens, may your warm light illuminate this path, grant courage and peace in moments of hardship, and to those who need hope, hope, and those who need strength, strength.

We pray in the name of the lantern that will bring back light to this world.

Amen.”

As Victoria finished her prayer, vitality surged through our bodies. The fatigue from dealing with Heoryong’s offspring just moments ago vanished.

“A cheap prayer that doesn’t even use miracles. And it actually worked on me. That’s a bit surprising.”

*Crackle…*

Heoryong, his wings spread, struggled to maintain his balance, grinding his teeth as exhaustion washed over him. If I had faced him alone, I might very well have lost.

“Dragonica Style Swordsmanship, Eleventh Form, Will-o’-the-Wisp Dance.”

“Aerion! Create turbulence to stop him from flying! And Terra, put up a defense wall now!”

Now that I was with my comrades.

Against the illusory dragon attempting to unleash its breath, the warrior Kyle used the flowing parries passed down in his family’s swordsmanship.

The spirit mage Anima, who commanded the wind and earth spirit kings, used their abilities to prevent collateral damage.

“Don’t you dare forget I’m here.”

*Pabababak!*

The archer Tarion, known as a god with his bow, displayed his skill in striking only the illusory dragon’s eyes and vital points, even from a distance.

“A warrior party worthy of the name, huh. Not bad.”

Watching us move as if five bodies were one, perfectly synchronized, the illusory dragon seemed baffled, evaluating us.

Thump, thud. Casually, it blocked the attacks from the warrior, the spirit mage, and the archer with its arms and legs. The exact stance as the hand-to-hand combat I’d mastered.

“But you’ve chosen a bad opponent. To mimic this guy of all people.”

*Kwaaang!* The dragon’s fist, a powerful punch utilizing its unique brute force, collided with Kyle’s holy sword, sending the warrior flying from the impact.

“Kyle…!!”

“You can’t afford to let your guard down, little lady.”

Anima, momentarily distracted, could only scream out, and the illusory dragon seized that opening, tripping Anima and slamming her into the ground.

‘Magic to make the ground and walls soft and pliable, Claybound.’

I instantly cast the spell with silent casting, and a soft, *poof* sound echoed as I watched my comrades safely land.

“Silent casting, the ability to combine new spells, dispel magic, special eyes that can read mana… Are you even human? Even I’m dumbfounded after mimicking you.”

The illusory dragon, having read that fleeting moment and responded, spoke as if I were strange. It even covered its mouth and chuckled.

“…I am human. Just that my personality and character are garbage.”

– *How dare you covet the man I’ve outbid? Lord Astal is mine! You vile chameleon b*stard!*

Victoria even had the composure to reply cheerfully to the illusory dragon’s words. She swung her hammer hard, warming up her body, and I asked her, observing her actions.

“Victoria, isn’t that a little harsh, even for you?”

“What does it matter? It’s just a fake who’s hijacked Lord Astal’s memories, isn’t it? I want to see that face twisted in pain as soon as possible.”

Victoria’s hardened expression seemed genuine. It seemed she had a lot of pent-up feelings against me.

“Then let’s go in two this time. I think I need to get close to properly deal with it.”

“…Fine. Just don’t get hit by me, if you can help it.”

*Kwaga gagagak!*

Victoria immediately charged across the earth. The ground she passed over was even caved in, such was the strength with which she pushed off.

‘Victoria will be the most troublesome to face. She is the total opposite of me, practically.’

Not only in her behavior, personality, and values, but also in her fighting style and habits, there are aspects that stab at my weaknesses.

Is it right to call it human compatibility? Kyle, Anima, and Tarion, they didn’t have this kind of thing. Those b*stards weren’t the type to just charge in blindly like this.

“Krrgh…!”

“Why are you like that! You fake! Did you really think you could live on, daring to imitate my lover!”

Right away, the Hollow Dragon let out a pained groan from Victoria’s hammer, it looked like it had tried to block with ice magic around its arm.

“You should keep in mind that there might be a mage who can Dispel. It seems you haven’t seen a human put up proper resistance until now.”

I collided the magic circle with the same magic, making it null, and approached the b*stard. Immediately exploiting the opening that Victoria made, I slammed a fist into its chest.

The Dragon’s famous weaknesses are divided into a few spots.

The eyes, the muscles under the wings, and the heart, where it’s said that limitless mana dwells. The spot where the Dragon Heart is.

“Ho… so you are a hero party hiding your identities… I can understand why the Demon Lord is so desperate to find you.”

Having taken a hit on those weak points, the Hollow Dragon looked perfectly fine, cracking its neck this way and that, as if it was ticklish.

“If you two had a child, a human who could truly kill the Demon Lord might be born.”

The Hollow Dragon, who seemed to be deep in thought amidst our attacks, soon gave us a chilling smile.

“…What?”

“W-What did you just say…!?”

Seeing that thing saying that kind of thing to my face, Victoria’s face flushed bright red with surprise, while I was overcome with displeasure and immediately threw a fist.

– Astal-nim and my child… Cute and lovely… Children with blue hair and eyes like a starry sea…

More than anything, I was bothered by Victoria’s muttering of her own fantasies.

“I just said what was in this man’s memory. What’s wrong with that? It just means that I absolutely must kill you.”

The Hollow Dragon spoke as if it was nothing, but it was a statement that could only further deepen Victoria’s misunderstanding.