18 Defeat the Abyss Dragon!

There were a dozen or so adventurers in the mix, with a third of them being mages who kept their distance, yet hardly phased the dragon with their spells, a healer who was injured themselves, a couple shield-bearers, and the last third being warriors. 

"Gunter, focus on getting the injured away from the fight!" He called out as he sprinted in. 

"Aye, aye!" Gunter agreed. 

The adventurer dressed in steel-armor with the golden-hilted sword led the offense, holding his own well, managing to deflect the massive swipes from the Abyss Dragon multiple times before it let out a shock wave of a roar, stunning the man momentarily. 

"Ngh–!" He winced. 

Incoming, those lethal claws came in at vicious speeds, intending to slice the man in half right then and there before–

"Burst!" 

In that moment, Jett called upon the innate skill he had acquired, causing a magical surge throughout his body that amplified all of his physical attributes momentarily. A single dash cracked the wind as he cut the distance between himself and the Abyss Dragon. 

[Power Air Shield] 

Just before the giant claws could eviscerate the knightly adventurer, he intervened, summoning the air-forged shield just in time as it intercepted the dragon's mighty claws. 

The armor-wearing man was surprised that his life had not been ended, looking over at the bronze-ranked recruit in shock, "...You saved my life!"

Jett held a strained smile, struggling to hold back the nefarious claws of the beast, "Yeah, well, you owe me one!"

"Without a doubt!" The heavy-armored adventurer wore a smile of reignited courage, flashing a gold-plated adventurer necklace as he moved, "--What's your name, my friend? I must know the name of the brave warrior who saved my life!" 

The passion and complete sense of honor was palpable from the gold-ranked adventurer, though at the moment, Jett was just glad to have somebody seemingly capable around. 

"Jett Levine! Bronze!"

"Bronze?" The man's eyes widened, "Nonsense! I'll personally vouch for your promotion! I, Vildren Sirmonthy!" 

"Really?! Thanks!" 

–Distracted by the prospect of promotion, he was suddenly forced to jump back alongside Vildren as the Abyss Dragon shattered the air shield, slamming its claws down with an impact that sent cracks through the soil. 

Just as they properly landed, the Abyss Dragon spread its pitch-black maw, gathering a swirling force of darkness in its mouth that sent vibrations through the air. 

"Incoming!" Vildren called out. 

Before whatever sort of attack the dragon was preparing to unleash could be finished, Jett raised his hand, "Jiao, you're up!"

Out from the depths of [Void Inventory], the red-haired, greatsword-wielding familiar of [Rare] class quality appeared, already leaping towards the dragon with his bright-red weapon taking to a fiery glow. 

"A dragon?! Hah, you know my strength, Master!" Jiao beamed with boundless confidence. 

A moment before the dragon could unleash the abyssal breath from its maw, Jiao spun rapidly, gathering a wheel of fire from his mystical greatsword before slamming it down atop the beast's head. 

THUNK 

It proved to be incredibly sturdy, as its scales were shattered and a gash was left, though the sword fell short of cutting into the dragon's skull. 

"Tch–" Jiao clicked his tongue. 

Retaliation came from the great beast as it lunged forward, swinging its claws towards the crimson-haired figure. 

"Jiao!" Jett yelled out. 

Even whilst in midair, Jiao showcased a surprising method of agility as he summoned a burst of flames beneath his boots, propelling himself to the side to evade the incoming swipe from the dragon. 

"Who is that?! I've never seen that adventurer," Vildren asked. 

"Err, don't worry about it!" Jett answered. 

"It doesn't matter either way, they're an ally!" Vildren responded. 

This time, the offense was launched more potent than ever against the dragon of black scales; Vildren, Gunter, Jett, and Jiao rushed forth, closing in rapidly. 

"Take this–!"

Jett swung the leaf-forged blade from a distance, testing its mystical properties for the first time–

FWOOM

Shooting out from the verdant sword, its sharp edge extended without any regard for range as a cut of wind, swiftly shooting forward and cutting straight into the dragon's eye. 

"RAAAAAGH–!" The great beast howled in pain as crimson fluid escaped its wounded eye. 

'This sword is great!' He realized. 

"Ga-ha-ha!" Nice one, Jett!" Gunter boisterously complimented. 

Though it seemed inflicting tangible damage upon the black-scaled dragon only enraged it as it slammed its front legs down, spewing out a miasma from its maw that shot forward. 

"Get back! If its breath reaches you, you'll become diseased!" Vildren warned. 

It was through a combination of Jett's wind-cutting sword, Jiao's ability to conjure a heaping amount of flames from his greatsword, and Vildren's overall physical might that they repelled the miasma, buying some time. 

Many still lived, laying on the fields with injuries and worn bodies, yet with one breath sucked in, it was Vildred that called out to them:

"Go! Go! Go! Mages, brothers, fight!" Vildren took command, "Remain on the ground if you'd prefer to die helplessly! However! Stand if you wish to fight! Keep fighting! This is our chance–! We can still win—!"

The courageous gold-ranked adventurer's yelled words brought the exhausted mages to their feet; they struggled to stand, though with the sight of those still fighting, it was a sight of reignited hope. 

'Woah, that even got me pumped up!' Jett thought. 

Vildren held his sword high like a pillar of courage for the others, holding a determined glow to his amethyst eyes as his unkempt hair was tugged by the wind, "Charge! We're the last line of defense, adventurers of Merdlum! Should we fall, innocents will die, homes will be destroyed—we will not fall!" 

Jett was in disbelief at the affect Vildren's words had on the others; despite most of them previously being wounded physically or mentally to their morale, they now stand and even charged in, yelling at as their own screams deafened their hesitation. 

"Aaaaaah—!" 

—Perhaps screaming loudest of them all was the once seemingly cowardly silver-rank, Johannes, who gripped his chipped sword and sprinted towards the Abyss Dragon alongside his comrades. 

"Alright! Let's not get shown up!" Jett raised his own sword, "Everyone, to me—!" 

[Silent-Footed Khan] [Demonkin Youth Alex] [Blue Slime]

Every familiar of his that was kept within the subspace inventory phased into existence by his side. The cyclopian warrior, Jiao, and Gunter reunited with him as well, preparing for their united offense. 

"Let's slay a dragon!" Jett ignited their charge. 

"I'm right there with you!" Alex enthusiastically added. 

"Here I come!" Jiao announced, bursting forward. 

There were now over a dozen fighters rushing towards the Abyss Dragon; even better, before it could repel their charge with its lethal breath, the mages from afar pelted the beast with a barrage of fireballs. 

"Raaaaaargh–!" The dragon howled. 

Explosions of majestic, orange flames burst from the fireballs against the dragon's scales, interrupting it whilst the others got closer. 

"Ahh!"

"Raaa!"

"Chaaaaarge–!"

Together, the assault reached the Abyss Dragon, leading every fighter present to swing their weapons against the sturdy scales of the great fiend. They hacked away, swinging their blades desperately. 

"Keep it up!" Vildren shouted, swinging away as well. 

Gunter laughed almost maniacally as he swung his axe wildly, standing on the dragon's arm as he hacked away at it. 

It was unable to properly fight back in those pivotal moments, overwhelmed by attacks both physical and magical. 

The system-wielding reincarnator rushed beneath the dragon's belly, seeing an opportunity to strike it where it surely couldn't defend. 

'I've got it!' He thought.