A young man who appeared to be around seventeen years old. He wore silver armor and carried a sword. The young man didn't tremble at all before the black dragon.
Even just hearing its breath would surely frighten anyone. But the young man's eyes showed no tremors whatsoever.
Only one thing radiated from his black eyes, an anger.
Very clear anger was shown towards the dragon.
"You human, dare challenge me?" The dragon said arrogantly.
"Of course." Despite his anger, the young man maintained his composure.
"You are but a mere, weak human. How can you possibly defeat me?" The dragon remained arrogant.
"I will not only defeat you. I will also finish you off."
The young man closed his eyes and sighed. He drew the sword hanging from his waist.
When the young man opened his eyes, the aura around him began to change.
The dragon hadn't noticed it before. But when he looked back, he recognized the feeling. It was the same energy that belonged to him and all the creatures that originated in the Forest of Darkness. The Abyss.
"How can a human like you have it?!" The dragon was shocked.
"You don't need to know."
The young man turned and looked at the elderly and children who were cowering in fear. His black eyes, previously filled with anger, became slightly calmer.
"You'd better all get out of here." The young man said kindly.
"B-but where should we go..." Asked a frightened child.
"Go south there." The young man pointed in one direction.
"Keep walking. You'll all meet someone."
Without hesitation, they all followed the young man's lead.
"Thank you." They all bowed their heads and left.
"Huh, trying to be a hero, huh?" The dragon sneered.
"I'm not trying to be a hero. But I'm trying to get rid of the things that make you happy." The young man's eyes filled with anger again.
The young man immediately ran at full speed toward the dragon. The dragon remained silent, looking down on the young man. With its large body and hard scales, there was no way the young man's sword could hurt it.
But the black dragon's thinking was wrong.
The young man leaped with a tremendous leap. He reached the dragon's feet and continued running toward its wings.
Instantly, an iron sword swiftly slashed the black dragon's wings. The large wings that had seemed impossible to injure were now bleeding.
The dragon looked utterly shocked. It growled and tried to reach the young man.
But the young man's movements were so fast that the dragon couldn't land a blow.
A wave of black energy radiated from the young man's body.
"You... How do you know about the secrets of the Abyss?!"
"Should I tell you?"
"Humans should die after entering the Forest of Darkness long enough. And even before touching the Abyss."
"Well, I guess so." The young man grinned.
"But, I'm alive, aren't I?"
The young man quickly ran again toward the black dragon. The black dragon wouldn't let him get close and spat out its fire breath.
Seeing the fire breath coming from the dragon's mouth, the young man quickly dodged. Everything in the dragon's path of flames dissolved into ash.
However, the young man had the advantage in speed. He quickly reached the dragon and slashed its left wing right through the wound he had made earlier.
The dragon roared loudly. Its sound could rupture a person's eardrums.
The dragon flapped its wings and swung its tail, hitting the young man. Before the young man could even land, he was knocked flying by the black dragon's tail.
A loud sound rang out as the young man's body hit the ground. His silver armor was now covered in scratches.
Despite the pain, the young man still stood up. He stood straight as if the blow had been nothing.
The sky had turned orange. Night would soon fall.
With just a sword, the young man continuously attacked the black dragon. The black dragon also attacked him. The sound of impacts and explosions could be heard throughout the area.
A fierce and seemingly impossible battle between a human and a giant dragon.
The sound of swords hitting the dragon's hard scales.
A terrifying roar.
Explosions of fire that burned everything.
A sword tore through flesh covered in tough skin. Blood gushed out.
The fight was intense.
The sky had darkened. The air around him began to grow colder.
The young man was panting. His breath turned white. Blood flowed from his head, covering his eyes. Blood seeped out of the black gloves on his hands that held the sword's hilt.
White snowflakes began to fall slowly from the sky.
The young man's condition was not much different. The black dragon was also badly injured.
Both of its wide wings were now torn. Some of the hard scales that protected its body were destroyed. Its flesh was torn. One of its large horns had been broken.
Judging from the fight, it was actually impossible for a human to inflict such a serious wound on a dragon.
But the young man managed to do it. Was this a miracle? No one knows.
The black dragon feeling cornered, tried to escape but couldn't because the young man continued to attack him. Their attacks clashed continuously.
Even though the young man hit the ground repeatedly, he still got up.
Both of its eyes were injured, the dragon roared loudly.
The young man's left leg was broken, but he continued to run. Both were in equally dire straits.
Finally, with all his determination and last ounce of strength, the silver-armored youth plunged his sword deep into the dragon's heart.
Blood gushed out.
It was the final blow, after tearing through the dragon's hide so many times that its heart was exposed.
The youth's sword broke.
The dragon screamed and struck the youth with its claws. The armor shattered.
The dragon began to collapse.
"Y-you... Damn human..." The dragon growled.
"You too, are a damn dragon..." The youth crawled, trying to get up, but he couldn't.
"This is the first time in a thousand years that there's been a human as infuriating as you. All humans should fear and submit to me. They are all my food."
"I'm not your food."
"You sacrificed yourself to kill me and save other humans. But even so, your sacrifice will go unrewarded."
"I don't care about that. I didn't sacrifice myself or save them. My only goal was to finish you off."
"It seems you hold a deep grudge against me." The dragon's voice faded.
"Of course." So did the young-man.
"I won't apologize to you."
"I won't forgive you either."
On a cold night, snow began to fall like rain.
Not a sound could be heard in the devastated area.