Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 169 - 168: Martial Combat

Chapter 169: Chapter 168: Martial Combat

"Congratulations on making further progress."

No need to discuss gifts, if it’s just verbal affirmation, Leon never hesitates to offer emotional support.

"I can’t afford to be full of myself, there’s still so much to strive for," Tassera admitted humbly.

Leon forced a smile, staying by her side until her excitement finally calmed down.

"What should we do about her?" Leon had long noticed the dejected female-faced Sphinx.

"If she doesn’t interfere with us, I actually think we can let her go." Having just experienced a dramatic battle with the female-faced Sphinx, Tassera felt a peculiar sense of mutual admiration—not without the self-assuredness of being the victor.

"Leave her to me, I’ll try to persuade her," Tassera said confidently as she approached the female-faced Sphinx. "Open the gate and let us leave—we won’t make things hard for you."

The female-faced Sphinx raised her weary eyes and said, "Leave behind the Impermanence Card, and I’ll let you go immediately."

"Enough! I already said the Impermanence Card is impossible to give you," Leon interjected hotly, thinking privately that while the card wasn’t practical, its value as a collectible was indisputable.

"This is robbery," countered the Sphinx, glaring at Leon.

"Exactly, it’s robbery," Leon replied, patting the Impermanence Card tucked inside his pocket. Watching Tassera rake in substantial rewards through her Comet Card, he felt tempted—but managed to suppress the urge to draw.

"You think the Impermanence Card is important; what about your life?"

"Sacred oaths are the most important," the Sphinx murmured cryptically.

Many Sphinxes were created by deities to serve as High Order Priests; others were manifestations of essence, existing solely as guardians. In fulfilling their protective duties, they neither needed rest nor sustenance.

Whether due to enduring weariness or other reasons, some Sphinxes eventually broke free of their sacred missions. However, even as their faith and allegiance faltered, they remained bound to their place of protection, unwilling to forsake their divine pledge.

"I know what needs to be done," Tassera said resolutely, abandoning efforts to persuade the female-faced Sphinx. "Unless she’s subdued, she won’t let us leave."

So it had to come to a fight after all. With this realization, Leon cracked his knuckles and said, "Leave this one to me."

"Very well, go ahead... Subdue her, but don’t kill her. On second thought," Tassera paused, "if she resists to the bitter end, not knowing her place—then so be it."

"Understood," Leon replied, pulling the Impermanence Card from his pocket. "You hold onto this for me."

The female-faced Sphinx watched as Leon stepped forward. She could tell that Leon was a Red Dragon, even surmising he was a teenage dragon—and that was about it. "You came alone. Do you think you’re capable of beating me one-on-one?"

"That Blue Dragon’s a Storage Dragon—what kind are you?" the Sphinx rallied herself. "Do you have some unique qualities?"

"You’ll see soon enough," Leon answered nonchalantly.

"Let’s see if you’re truly special," the Sphinx roared as blazing magic energy swirled from all directions, converging upon her body.

"Stubborn to the point of absurdity," Leon said as he transformed into his Dragon Form—an enormous Red Dragon suddenly filling the room.

The cavernous chamber, designed to accommodate a large Sphinx, allowed ample space for the dragon’s massive form and the swing of Leon’s sword. Reaching out, he effortlessly summoned the Catastrophe Blade.

"A Red Dragon that wields a sword? No sulfur, no floating stone stench—and yet, there’s a hint of Fairy and Celestial Creatures about you..." the Sphinx scrutinized Leon carefully. "The Dragon Clan truly produces bizarre beings—you never know what type of dragon you’ll encounter."

"Come on then," she challenged boldly, "Show me what a sword-wielding Red Dragon can do."

"As you wish," Leon said, gripping the sword and releasing it forward. He activated the Sword Control Technique, directing the blade to fly toward the Sphinx—where it crashed into a transparent shield.

"What kind of spell is this?" The unfamiliar magic momentarily caught the Sphinx by surprise. Realizing this was no mere verbal skirmish like with the Blue Dragon earlier, she plunged into the shadows and vanished.

Leon, with his Heavenly Eye Technique, typically found invisibility spells ineffective—but combined with darkness and advanced Invisibility Technique, it posed a moderate hindrance. A clear figure turned faint and fuzzy.

But even then, it made little difference. Leon effortlessly located the Sphinx and guided the flying sword after her, prompting her to counteract with Dispel Magic.

"You can see through invisibility?" the Sphinx seized a moment to speak.

"Not just invisibility—I can see through illusions too," Leon replied. "So don’t even bother with low-tier illusions; they’re utterly juvenile."

With a clawed pinch, Leon summoned the fallen sword back to his hand, striding confidently toward the real Sphinx. Ever since cementing his essence, his control over his body had advanced tremendously, allowing him to walk upright on his hind legs.

"How can you walk on two legs?" The Sphinx, experienced though she was, had never seen a Red Dragon move like this. "Has your physical mastery reached such heights? How did you do it?"

"You’re clever—why don’t you guess?" Leon replied, unfazed.

As the notorious Red Dragon continued to close in, the Sphinx instinctively backed away—until she found herself cornered. When she glanced up, the dragon loomed over her. Without hesitation, she swung her claws and cast Teleportation. A flash of light later, she appeared far away—only to find the dragon missing.

Creatures possessing True Vision could pierce through ordinary or magical darkness, see invisible beings and objects, discern illusions, detect shapeshifted or magically transformed entities, and perceive the etheric plane. The Sphinx quickly discovered the disguised Red Dragon, who had transformed into a mist of Clean Energy, landing directly before her.

"You can teleport—but I have spells too," Leon noted dryly, identifying her attempt to flee. He raised a claw and unleashed an immobilization spell. Though the control was brief, he ensured it held for several seconds before following up with a Hand Palm Bomb that obliterated the pillar beside her.

"How’s that?" Leon asked smugly, "Does my performance meet your expectations?"

The Sphinx’s expression grew grim.

"You can still surrender," Leon chuckled. Truthfully, he had been toying with her all along—he could have ended this much earlier.

"Never!" the Sphinx bellowed—a chosen few held steadfast moral convictions.

"Don’t blame me for being ruthless, then," Leon said, knowing he had offered her sufficient chances.

The Sphinx, an agile and formidable creature of large stature, might have posed a threat with her claws—a magic weapon in their own right—not to mention spells like Holy Flame or Flame Strike Skill. That was assuming Leon refrained from triggering his Vajra Body.

A male-faced Sphinx might give him trouble, but this female-faced counterpart was no match for Leon at full strength.

Leon, remembering Tassera’s words, stopped short of killing the Sphinx—beating her just to the edge of collapse.

Even still, the Sphinx refused to yield—something Leon couldn’t help but respect.

Since she wouldn’t open the gate, Leon approached the locked door. Magic energy coursed across its surface. With a breath of Samadhi True Fire, he burned through the arcane locks before splitting the door in two with his sword.

No matter how desperately the Sphinx resisted, Leon and Tassera marched out of the Underground City unimpeded.

Outside, Leon pulled out the Impermanence Card for another look.

He was generally satisfied with this dungeon expedition.

"Not afraid, just cautious," Leon said, feeling a flicker of concern. "Do you think the Comet Pioneers’ ultimate Magic Emperor—or perhaps the Death Fear Punisher—is actually after this thing?"

"To my knowledge, there’s also a group called Blazing Sky Barrier searching for the Impermanence Card. Their leader is a Solar," Tassera replied. "However, they follow a benevolent path. As long as you don’t use the card for evil or destruction, they won’t harm you."

"I’m a Red Dragon—telling them I only want to collect the card for its value would be met with massive skepticism," Leon muttered, reflecting on countless prejudices tied to his identity.

"So now you know fear?" Tassera teased.

"As if," Leon retorted, stashing the card away. "I just prefer to avoid hassle—and there’s no greater hassle than an obsessive thief."

"Compared to me..." Leon cast Tassera a sideways glance. "You haven’t forgotten you drew three cards, have you? Eagle Claw, Comet, and one for flame."

"I’m no ordinary being—I’m a Blue Dragon," Tassera replied nonchalantly.

"Once we’re back, I’m planning to retreat for a while," Tassera said with a nod. "The Mirage spell has always been my focus. Solving its puzzle will naturally lead me to mastery—unlike other spells."

"By then, even the strongest devil won’t intimidate me."

"Go retreat, master all the spells you can," Leon said, stretching leisurely. "On this trip, I’ve stockpiled a load of refined gold and Mithril. Once we’re back, I’ll also get busy—crafting a set of equipment and securing Watchtower Port entirely... "

From Watchtower Port to Raffi, Leon’s goals included unloading unwanted "junk," organizing his inventory, acquiring refined gold and Mithril for gear, and exploring the dungeon alongside Tassera—with plans to purchase tools and equipment while in Raffi.

A sudden thought struck him: investing in promotional materials was crucial. He hadn’t even bought printing supplies yet.

Bright futures awaited them all.