785 Bear fights against ice dragons Part 2 - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

The battle between us and the Ice Dragon is truly underway. I consider the worst-case scenario and decide to send back Kumayuru and Kumakyuu. Perhaps realizing that it can withstand my flames, the Ice Dragon descends to the ground. It roars, clearly aiming to intimidate us. The air trembles, stirring up fear. An ordinary person would freeze in place, incapable of movement, and fall victim to the Ice Dragon’s attack. But neither I nor Kagari are ordinary. “So noisy.” Kagari releases a burst of flame magic at the Ice Dragon. The magic hits the dragon’s body, but that’s all it does. A small mark is left, but it’s quickly covered by a layer akin to a shield of ice, protecting its skin. It’s evident that the dragon’s body is constantly chilled. Therefore, ordinary fire magic is like pouring a glass of water on a hot stone—ineffective. Instead of the usual meaning, it’s quite the reverse. Throwing flames at the ocean would be more appropriate. So, I decide to use a massive flame. I gather my magic power. Before me, a giant vortex of fire large enough to engulf the Ice Dragon appears. The fiery whirlwind begins to melt the surrounding ice. The entire frozen expanse becomes water in an instant, then evaporates. The vortex of flames advances toward the Ice Dragon. Its mouth opens, releasing an icy breath directed at the whirlwind. The fiery whirlwind and the icy breath collide, creating a mixed vortex of red and white flames swirling together. The cold air’s pressure seems overwhelming, but I refuse to be defeated, adding extra bear flames into the mix. The icy breath is stronger, but it’s not infinite. The Ice Dragon’s breath ceases. The vortex becomes a tornado of fire again. “It’s my win.” The vortex of fire attacks the breathless Ice Dragon. I thought I’d finally inflict some real damage, only for the color of the vortex to change. The vortex of fire weakens, its red flames extinguished, turning into a swirling vortex of ice. The fire whirlwind was hijacked and transformed. It doesn’t stop there; it has become an ice vortex. The Ice Dragon roars and the icy whirlwind begins to move, this time heading towards me. You’ve got to be kidding. Behind me is the egg. I use earth magic to shield the egg. But I’m uncertain if it can withstand that whirlwind. I generate another vortex of fire, hoping to neutralize it. The ground around us is torn up, resembling a landscape ravaged by a storm, but the egg remains safe. I've managed to avoid further confrontation with the Ice Dragon that returned to the summit. “Kid, are you okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine. I never thought the flame vortex would turn into an ice one.” The conflict between us and the Ice Dragon continues. “Bear Kick!” I deliver a flying kick, striking the Ice Dragon. Its massive body wobbles. Even with a Bear Kick, it’s impossible to knock that enormous frame over. But I can at least disrupt its balance. As I circle around to attack with flames, it quickly freezes over. The firepower is insufficient. Clearly, attacks from the outside won’t cause any significant damage. According to basic strategies, internal destruction through the mouth is effective against large monsters. I believed that if I shot fire into the Ice Dragon’s mouth, I could win. However, seeing how the battle is progressing, I’m not so sure. Cold air continuously escapes from within its body. Moreover, it’s difficult to time an attack into its moving mouth. When getting in close, the Ice Dragon’s limbs become a hindrance. Also, it doesn't keep its mouth open indefinitely. Nothing seems to be going smoothly. Approaching head-on is challenging. Ultimately, I may have to be willing to risk getting swallowed to shoot a spell into its mouth. With any ordinary monster, this might be feasible, but this is an Ice Dragon we’re dealing with. Its mouth is far larger than the Black Tiger's, capable of crushing anything, with jaws strong enough to never let go once bitten. If I fail to defeat it, I risk having even my bear gear bitten through and frozen. Of course, there’s a chance it might be okay. For now, I need to figure out what can be done. “Kagari, I need backup!” I sprint forward. The Ice Dragon rises and flaps its wings, creating gusts of wind that disrupt my movement. However, clad in my bear gear, I dash through the winds. I grip my Kumayuru Knife in my right hand, keeping my left free for casting spells. I rush around the Ice Dragon, closing in from a blind spot. Kagari provides support with her flame magic, allowing me to approach the Ice Dragon. As I draw near, I slash at the Ice Dragon’s body with the magic-infused Kumayuru Knife. A cut is made, but it only leaves a single line. So, I envelop the Kumayuru Knife in flames. The Flaming Mithril Knife. Normally, it’d be too hot to handle, but with my bear puppet, it's not. The glowing-hot mithril knife assails the Ice Dragon, piercing its skin deeply. The knife carves wounds into its body, melting through the ice. Yes! Just as I’m about to continue my attack— “Kid!” Simultaneously with Kagari’s shout, I’m sent flying. Did I get hit from the side? I glimpse the Ice Dragon’s tail as I’m thrown backward. I failed to notice the attack from my blind spot. My lightweight body rolls along the ground, eventually tumbling down a slope. “Kid!” Kagari flies over. “I-I’m okay,” I assure. “But you took a hit from the Ice Dragon’s tail...” So it seems it was indeed the tail strike. To reassure Kagari of my condition, I stand up. Seeing me on my feet, Kagari’s expression shifts to relief. “You shouldn’t make an old lady worry like that.” She just referred to herself as elderly. It only underscores how concerned she was. “So, what now?” What indeed? The bear flames won’t work. The Mithril Knife can cut, but it doesn’t deal devastating damage. Rather than ineffective, external attacks don’t make much impact. Internal attacks really seem to be the way to go. “Kagari. I need to somehow strike inside its mouth.” “It’s dangerous!” “There's no other way to defeat it.” “...Promise me you won’t push yourself too hard.” “Alright. I value my life too.” The Ice Dragon is moving faster than I expected. Its mouth is essentially the heart of its attack. However, it’s also a weak point. There’s a saying that you can’t catch the tiger’s cub without entering its lair. Without taking some risks, defeating it won’t be possible. First, I need to wait for it to exhale its cold breath. That’s the most dangerous attack. Once it expels the cold air, its mouth will be open. Kagari and I dash down the slope. There's an egg at the top, and the Ice Dragon is not an opponent we can face while worrying about it. Moreover, should the egg end up in the path of its icy breath at the wrong moment, it would spell disaster. This is not a foe we can protect the egg from while fighting. So, Kagari and I draw the Ice Dragon's attention, leading it down the slope. We sprint through the forest, using the trees as cover to launch attacks. The trees conceal us from the Ice Dragon, but they topple when it moves. Its tail sweeps away multiple trees at once. And the snow obstructs our movements. However, I've discovered something valuable—the bear shoes allow me to walk across snow just like water. Back when I rode Kumayuru and Kumakyuu through snowy terrains, I never realized this effect. Now, I'm running on the snow. Descending from the mountain, we reach an area of open fields. A flat plain is preferable to slopes. There were some flat areas near the summit, but they were narrow and difficult to fight on, leading to my earlier fall after colliding with the tail. I step forward, facing the Ice Dragon. It seems agitated, growling with icy breath leaking from the cracks of its mouth. The best moment to attack is just after it releases that breath. If it exhales while I’m charging in, who knows what could happen. “Kagari, when the Ice Dragon releases its breath, I’m going in. I need you to cover me.” “…Understood.” We both spring into action. I run circles around the Ice Dragon while Kagari takes to the air. Through its closed mouth, icy breath seeps out. I gauge the timing. The Ice Dragon is also calculating the right moment. I launch an attack aiming for its eyes, but its arm deflects it. What makes the Ice Dragon troublesome is its strong blisteringly cold breath, its resilient skin, its tail that strikes from blind spots, and the tough arms protecting its face. Even its wings, capable of generating gales, interfere with attacks. By remaining grounded, it seems to be proving it can win without resorting to aerial attacks. Perhaps it descended to ensure we can’t escape and it can finish us off for good. I’d like to call it overconfident, but the Ice Dragon certainly has the power to back up its claims. I continue running around the Ice Dragon, dodging its tail and leaping upwards. As if it has eyes on its back, the dragon’s wings move to intercept me. The impact isn’t damaging, but I'm thrown to the ground. Rising to my feet, I find the Ice Dragon’s mouth wide open. This is the moment to evade and strike back. But then, I recall where I stand. There’s a city behind me. Though the distance is considerable, its icy breath could reach it. Even if it’s a ruined city, it’s Lieze's city. I can’t let that happen. I unleash the magic power I had been holding for the Ice Dragon’s mouth. Before me, three giant earthen bear walls spring up. Just in time. The Ice Dragon releases its icy breath. I hear Kagari shouting somewhere. I pour my magic into the earthen bears. The icy blast collides with the bear defensive wall of earth, halting its advance. The icy breath subsides. The earthen bears are frozen solid, but the city is safe. And with the Ice Dragon having expelled its breath, its mouth is now open. Seizing the shortest path, I dispel part of the frozen bear wall and sprint toward the Ice Dragon. Its mouth is open—this is my chance. I jump toward the dragon’s open maw. My hands are infused with magic, turning that magic into bear flames. The bear flames manifest before me, ready to be thrust inside its mouth. The Ice Dragon begins gathering cold air in its mouth again. A second barrage!? Face-on. At this close range, dodging is impossible. “Kagari!” From the side, Kagari hurls me away. The world unfolds in slow motion. In the place where I once stood, Kagari remains. In that split second, the Ice Dragon unleashes its breath on her. They say the world moves in slow motion when one senses their life is in danger. It was as if time had stopped. Kagari, taking my place, is enveloped by the Ice Dragon’s frozen breath.