Supreme Monarch

*Roar!!

The Hunter teams had chosen Bell as their overall leader during combat. She was a more experienced leader than Berot as he was more of a solo act. Her ability to command large groups was also top-notch, and the group didn't have any problems taking orders from her during a fight which was currently the case.

Their journey to the Farbelt Pass was supposed to take more than two days on a regular horse. But with the Demonic horses, their trip had been cut down to less than that. However, that did not account for the several monster attacks they had experienced along the way. 

Over the past day, they had faced several undead monsters that strayed out of the Darknar region and even other monsters that were migrating from the Northern part of the darknar forest for some reason. 

Recently, they had been assaulted by a multitude of Frost Salamanders who had ambushed them the moment they had stepped foot into the Farbelt Pass. Of course, as experienced Hunters, such monsters were not that difficult to deal with and even fifty of them were no problem for their group to handle.

Thanks to the information provided to them by Ms. Aegar from Red Ruby, they knew everything about the Frost Salamanders and their habits of burrowing themselves in holes to launch a sneak attack and they had been fully prepared for it and were somehow able to slaughter more than fifty Frost Salamanders in one go.

However, it would seem like their luck was currently at an all-time low as their bout with the lizards must've disturbed the King of the Pass and were currently being attacked by none other than the ColdFire Drake.

A massive creature the size of a small mountain flew around them as its roar alone shook the entire pass and scared off all other monsters in the vicinity. The group of 21 strong took a battle formation as the knights stayed closely by the carriages and protected them alongside the miners with the aid of a barrier from a magic scroll.

The majestic bluish-black drake flew past them one more time as it roared once more and turned around in the sky, about to make another sweep that may claim their lives.

"Attack!"

Bell yelled as the group began their second bombardment of the monster with a multitude of colorful attacks. Vrutha and his men quickly ran ahead of the group and were spamming skills to keep the monsters aggro on them as they used defensive skills and spells to boost their defenses.

As though all their attacks had been nothing more than child's play, the King of the Pass ignored their attacks like they were nothing. Magic arrows and spells of different shapes and sizes bounced off its glimmering scales without even leaving so much as a scratch. It then opened its maw wide as it descended on the group. 

•ColdFire Breath•

A massive white ball of silverish white flames gathered inside its maw as it immediately shot it out at them in a radius that would wipe them all out in an instant. 

"Anti-Elemental Cocoon."

A 5th tier spell that defended against most elemental attacks was used by Aegar as a massive dome appeared around the group in an attempt to stop the breath attack of the drake. However, the white flames that seem to carry a chill that shouldn't belong with the element of fire, burned through the barrier without losing any energy and would consume them in the next moment.

"Overtier Magic - Starbeam!"

Using several skills to boost the effectiveness of his spell, a brilliant beam of light blaster out of Berot's outstretched hand and clashed with the ColdFire breath in a devastating impact that shook the entire pass for a moment.

Being able to match the strength of a lesser dragon-type magic beast at the peak of the 6th tier in might was impressive even for a Hunter at his level and everyone knew that. However, he had overlapped multiple skills with each other in order to achieve this result and would not be able to do it again. 

The ColdFire drake outmatched them in every considerable way possible and he alone could not change the tide of the battlefield. However, he was not alone and his teammates this time were all at the pinnacle of the Hunter world.

Skill: •Probability Enhancement•

Skill: •Martial Law: Flying is Prohibited in this space•

The one to act next was Vrutha. Using his two most frightening skills, the massive body of the drake suddenly froze in the air as the magic beast lost its ability to fly and fell down to earth like a large rock.

Both the probability enhancement and Martial law skills were advanced and Divine tier skills respectively, on their own, they were powerful enough but their effect became frightening when used to complement each other. Even a higher-tiered magic beast like the ColdFire Drake had failed to resist their effects.

The gaunt monster slammed into the ground in a loud thud and the Hunters immediately moved into action. Not wanting to give it any time to recover.

Godspeed slayer Kazim, and the four other members of Vrutha's party, Battle Lords moved closer to the ColdFire Drake as it tried to shake off the impact.

"Secret Technique: Spacial Rend."

Living up to his nickname as Godspeed, Kazim moved faster than the Hunters behind could see, and in a flash, he appeared behind the ColdFire Drake who had reacted quickly and tried to counter with a claw swipe. 

However, it was too late as it missed its target and one of its legs fell off as a slight fissure in space that had been caused by his swing began to repair itself. 

Before the drake could even react, the four orc warriors that charged at it verging Kazim bombarded it with attacks as well. 

ROAR!!! 

Angered by the sudden injury inflicted on it by a lesser creature. The ColdFire Drake roared and flapped its massive wings. A bust of cold flames erupted from it and almost froze the five warriors that were in front of it if Aegar hadn't used another defensive barrier. 

The others also began their attacks to keep the monster busy as Bell began the process for a large-scale destructive spell and Lyka did the same as they began to construct a massive magic circle in the air with only their mana. Such a process would take more than 30 minutes to complete without any interruptions.

Their attacks would be wasted if the ColdFire Drake managed to defend itself so Eliss and Abel joined in on the attacks while Berot— whose face still had the red imprint of someone's hand on it— provided cover. He specialized in single target spells but also knew a few large-scale spells as well. 

However, none of those spells were suitable for an ice and fire-type monster and thus he was forced to only play a supporting role in this battle. 

The ColdFire drake— who could no longer fly because of the martial law being enforced in the area— moved around on only three limbs and it used its tail as a weapon and its massive body as a shield while occasionally blasting out large balls of white flames that either froze or burnt whatever they touched. 

Eliss moved nimbly and circled the large monster as it pushed back everyone else. Bending her legs a little, the ground under her feet gave way as she appeared above the drake and her right claws were engulfed in a transparent white aura.

•Cascading White-Tiger Drive•

As though splitting the sky itself, her seemingly flaming claws came storming down on the massive back of the ColdFire Drake in a resounding boom that shattered the insanely hard scales on its back and damaged its skin even though it was still a shallow attack. 

White flames burst out of the drake's body again and Eliss jumped back immediately. Thanks to Vrutha's provoking skill, the ColdFire drake could not attack anyone else and both Aegar and some of Bell's teammates were constantly healing him so they could attack wildly without reserves.

"Giant Fireball!"

"Lightning!"

"Stone Bullets!"

"Wind Cutter!"

"Blight!"

"Water Lance!"

A variety of Spells were thrown at the monster in quick succession but its defenses were too high and all they could manage was to pin it down. Winged City had no Quantium Ranked Hunter so Tritanium ranks were the highest the city had to offer and this group was made up of the best of the best.

Yet, all they could manage after more than an hour of fighting was to pin the monster in place and restrict his movement after taking away its ability to fly. However, this was their aim the entire time as the top-tier mages in the group had been preparing a ritualistic spell for more than 30 minutes now.

None of them had reached the 5th tier but the power of what they were about to unleash surpassed even the 6th. This was a power beyond the mortal realm. A glim at the power wielded by gods. 

"By the will of the gods. Let the light that shines bring forth the power that consumes. Let the brilliance of the stars be the last sight of those that stand against us. Let the heavens be drawn and answer the call. StarFall."

In order to use a more powerful spell that one's potential didn't allow. A ritual is needed and a full chant must be recited. Combining the powers of both mages and amplifying them by an insane number, a brilliant pillar of light descended from the sky and consumed the ColdFire Drake as everyone had already retreated from the monster the moment Berot gave the signal and fired one last attack. 

The pillar of light covered more than a hundred-meter radius and everything under its light was reduced to dust. Berot had used a multi-layer defensive barrier on everyone as a precaution but he doubts the strength of his own barrier as the Tier 7 spell that was just unleashed and stolen his breath away doesn't feel like it could be defended against.

However, Aegar who specialized in defense had also done the same and it made him a bit more confident in their survival. Even though he felt like they would still die if they were to take that attack head-on.

This was the power of ritualistic magic. The ability to use power beyond one's limit. Of course, the drawbacks are also very severe and it was something that couldn't be relied upon in a battle as its requirements were too high and normally, it take more than two mages to work. 

Moreover, if they hadn't distracted the monster from the duo, it would've surely done everything in its power to stop them and their spell would've surely failed or even backfire.

Luckily that didn't happen and they had successfully slain the legendary king of the pass without suffering a single casualty. This was a Lord class monster they were talking about here. This achievement alone made the entire trip worth it. 

However—

—ROAR!! 

"Impossible!"

Indeed... None of them could believe their eyes. The ColdFire drake had just taken a Tier 7 large-scale destructive spell to the face and survived. Although it was in terrible shape as its body was in shambles as it was bleeding non-stop and had multiple missing limbs.

The monster stood in such a shape with a domineering look in its eyes as he glared at the insects before him and they could not help but take steps back as some even trip themselves and fell.

None of them had the energy to continue. Both, Kazim and Vrutha who was their most important member couldn't fight anymore as they had exhausted all their energy just to keep the monster in place for that spell.

'This is bad. We'll be wiped out if something isn't done soon. Damn, do I? Duck it! I have to do something.'

Steeling himself, Berot stepped forward as the only one with any mana left. He planned to unleash a single target attack with everything he had. Taking the monster out with him if he had to.

However—

ROARRR!!!

With an intensity like never before, the ColdFire Drake roared with all its might as it exuded a pressure that paralyzed even Berot for a moment. It immediately engulf itself in white flames that made its sura skyrocket beyond mortal limits as it forced its broken wings to move and launched into the sky as the martial law was no longer in effect. With a flight speed 10x faster than a fighter jet, the creature escaped deeper into the pass.

"Huh!? Did it just? I-It retreated..."