Just as I finished preparing to cook Ignir, the red meteorite slowly began to crack.
Crackle crackle!!
[The omen of the fifth main scenario appears.]
As the cracks in the red meteorite began to spread beyond a certain point, a main scenario message flew before my eyes.
"Huh? What's this? A main scenario all of a sudden...."
One stupid Prophet, who hadn't yet realized the seriousness of the situation, brought his face close to the cracked red meteorite.
Fzzzt!
Soon, a large crack appeared on the meteorite's surface, and from there, a red light poured out.
Crash bang!
The half of the Prophet's face hit by the red light vanished without a trace. The body of the Prophet who had lost half his head then slowly fell towards the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, and soon rolled on the floor with a loud noise.
"Kyaaaahk!"
"Uwaaahk!"
"Wh-what is this?!"
Staring blankly at the Prophet who had fallen after losing his head in an instant, the others belatedly began to scream.
Glug! Glug!
"Hwaaaahk!!"
"Uwaaaahk! S-save me!!"
Red lava glugged and poured out from the cracks in the meteorite's surface. And the Prophets who unluckily got splashed on their faces or bodies by the lava let out loud screams.
Crackle.
Then, a huge crack appeared in the meteorite, and something could be seen trying to force its way out from inside through the gap.
Crunch! Crunch!!
"Wh-what is this? Where's the 'relic'?!"
Crunch! Whoosh!
"Keeeeeuh...?!"
"Keheuk...!"
Soon, that thing which emerged from the meteorite—no, the egg—immediately swung its long tail towards the surrounding Prophets. The bodies of the Prophets hit squarely by the tail burst apart as easily as balloons.
[5th-grade Fire Dragon Species, 'Lesser Dragon Ignir' has appeared!]
Grrrrr!
Looking at the dragon that had finally revealed itself before my eyes, I drooled and approached.
"Now begins the cooking of that red lizard!!"
At my words, the people frantically running away, the Lesser Dragon Ignir, Kim Dokja, and the other party members all stopped at that moment and looked at me as if I were a madman.
[Many Constellations are flustered, wondering what they just heard.]
[Constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' cackles and pulls his hair out.]
[Constellation 'Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss' says you are the first madman to brazenly declare you'll eat a Fire Dragon right in front of it.]
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is dumbfounded and slaps his forehead.]
[Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' asks what you were thinking saying such a thing.]
[A Constellation who loves alcohol reveals his modifier.]
[Constellation 'God of Wine and Ecstasy' says if you catch that Fire Dragon, please share some with him.]
[Several Constellations who love cooking also ask to share some.]
"500 coins per kilogram."
[Several Constellations shout that it's too expensive.]
"Ah~ If you don't like it, then don't eat it."
[Many Constellations are speechless at your words.]
While I was bickering with the Constellations, the tactless Lesser Dragon Ignir fired its breath at me.
"Tactless lizard bastard, get lost!!"
[Activating skill 'Zadkiel Lv. 3'.]
[Skill 'Zadkiel's' proficiency increases.]
[Zadkiel Lv. 3 > Zadkiel Lv. 4]
The freezing cold of Zadkiel froze the jaw of the bastard trying to breathe fire at me solid with a crack. Then, the pained Lesser Dragon Ignir thrashed its body wildly. At that moment, the Lesser Dragon Ignir suddenly stopped moving as if it had been hit by a time stop.
Soon, an Intermediate Dokkaebi wearing a neat suit emerged from the sparkling spot.
[Everyone, how did you end up on this 'route'? I thought you've been acting too arrogantly lately... Good grief.]
The Intermediate Dokkaebi's voice echoed through Anguk Station.
[When you haven't even cleared the fourth scenario yet, what do you think you're doing awakening a 'Calamity'?]
The Intermediate Dokkaebi continued in a voice tinged with displeasure.
[There are a few incarnations that some Constellation-nims are particularly fond of, so I can't just leave things as they are... but I also can't lower the difficulty for you...]
The Intermediate Dokkaebi's gaze swept over me and Kim Dokja as if glancing past us.
"But this is too much! We haven't even cleared the fourth main scenario yet!"
"Hey! You, just shut up and stay still!"
Other Prophets who heard the tactless shout of one Prophet hurriedly covered his mouth, but it was already too late.
[....I've decided just now. Indeed, there will be no difficulty change or the like.]
At those words, the Prophets glared at that tactless Prophet as if they wanted to kill him, and that Prophet's face turned pale.
[Still, if you all die like this, it won't be fun. So, at my discretion, let's change the scenario contents a little.]
Snap
[The arbitrarily changed sub-scenario contents have been added to the hidden scenario!]
With the Intermediate Dokkaebi's finger snap, a system message appeared before my eyes. And subsequently, a hidden scenario was created.
Ding!
Category: Hidden
Difficulty: A
Clear Condition: Hunt the sub-calamity 'Lesser Dragon Ignir' within the time limit, or survive its attacks.
Time Limit: 20 minutes
Reward: 3,000 coins
Failure: Death
* A hidden piece is concealed within this mission.
[Hoho.... Well then, do enjoy the scenario.]
Having said his piece, the Intermediate Dokkaebi vanished, and soon the Lesser Dragon began moving again. I shouted to everyone who was frozen.
"If you want to live, run!!!"
At my shout, those who finally regained their senses began to move. I also applied [Invisible Air] to Kayserium to make it unseen and charged towards the Lesser Dragon.
[Activating skill 'Sprint Lv. 1'.]
Running quickly, I swung Kayserium, now imbued with Invisible Air, and sliced the skin of the Lesser Dragon Ignir.
"Kraaaaaaaang!!!!"
Enraged at being wounded by my attack, the Lesser Dragon swung its tail at me, but I easily dodged it.
[Activating skill 'Will of the Sword Lv. 1'.]
"Go forth!"
At my command, three swords summoned behind me flew straight at Ignir and sliced off the joints of its wings. In pain, Ignir immediately opened its mouth.
"Grrrrrr"
[5th-grade Fire Dragon Species, 'Lesser Dragon Ignir' is preparing 'Flames of Destruction'.]
Along with the system message that appeared right before my eyes, enormous flames began to gather around Ignir's mouth.
"Is it starting now?"
[The hidden piece is activated.]
[Numbered panels become active.]
[If the appropriate number of people enter a panel, an 'Absolute Shield' can be activated for 10 seconds.]
[If the number of people on a panel is below or exceeds the number, the 'Absolute Shield' will not activate.]
Along with the system message saying Ignir was preparing its 'Flames of Destruction', a message about the hidden piece concealed within the hidden scenario appeared. Simultaneously, screams of people began to be heard from all directions in Anguk Station.