Chapter 76

Day 300 of Banishment: Exploration (6)
The morning of the 300th day of banishment dawned clear and bright. The crisp air, a result of the high altitude, mixed with the refreshing breeze as Marylia took in the atmosphere and issued her commands to the Iron Golems.

"Advance."

With a bright smile, she pointed her spear forward. Her target lay beyond the mountain—a town nestled at the bottom of the valley... and the dragon soaring through the skies above it.

Marylia had no intention of dragging this out. She would fire in a single, overwhelming volley, bringing it down at once, and finishing it in one decisive strike.

—Rather, she had no choice but to do so.

A prolonged battle with a dragon would inevitably result in damage to her forces.

After all, dragons breathe fire, fly, and thrash about with their massive tails… They are an absolute menace! Engaging in a drawn-out fight with such creatures would be sheer madness!

Which is why… Marylia needed to lure it in. She had to make sure the dragon charged straight at them, unaware of her forces’ full capabilities, and then subject it to an all-out assault before it could react.

However…

"Well, not that I need to worry."

Standing atop the mountain and gazing down at the valley, she knew the dragon would notice them soon enough.

"We’re all shining like treasure, after all. Ehehe."

Yes—dragons love shiny things. Gold, silver, and gemstones are treasures they hoard and guard with an obsessive nature.

And now, gleaming in the morning sun, the Iron Golems presented an irresistible prize to the dragon!

The moment it spotted the shimmering figures, the dragon wasted no time, diving straight toward them. Its excitement was palpable, its instincts lured by the glittering "treasure" below.

The last time this happened, Marylia had ordered a retreat. But this time, she simply smiled and raised her hand.

At her command, the golems silently drew their bows. Their arrows, nothing more than hardened wooden shafts without metal arrowheads, did not glint in the sunlight—meaning they wouldn’t catch the dragons' attention.

The unnoticed arrows took aim at the dragons… and then—

"Fire!"

With Marylia’s command, a storm of arrows was loosened.

Their primary target: the wings.

The greatest threat dragons posed was their ability to stay out of reach. But once brought down to the ground, it would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

And so, the arrows released by the Iron Golems struck true, piercing the dragons’ wing membranes.

Though dragonhide was naturally tough, their wings were still their most vulnerable part. Even if only one or two arrows landed, it was enough. The embedded shafts disrupted their flight, dragging them down.

"Next!"

Before the dragon could react, the golems were already moving.

Their training over the past few days had not only improved their accuracy—it had also drastically reduced the time between shots.

With a sharp twang, bowstrings were drawn taut once more, and as the dragon struggled to regain control of its flight, another volley rained down upon it.

"Its confusion is our advantage! Keep firing!"

Encouraged by Marylia’s voice, the Iron Golems unleashed wave after wave of arrows.

Meanwhile, the dragon, though initially thrown into disarray, was beginning to comprehend the situation. Its confusion faded, replaced by seething rage.

But rage alone wouldn’t save it.

Its wings, once mighty and proud, now looked like tattered parasols—riddled with holes, streaked with blood, and weighed down by embedded arrows.

The once-mighty dragon, now looking pitifully trapped, roared in defiance, but its cries fell on deaf ears.

"It’ll be crashing down any moment now. Hehehe…"

Yes, its hunters were tireless golems who felt no fear. And leading them was Marylia Odeil Tyfon, whose courage was as unshakable as steel.

"Prepare the spears."

Though she wore a pleasant smile, her eyes gleamed with a predatory sharpness.

The dragon roared.

Having lost nearly all control over its flight, the dragon was dragged to the ground by several golems who seized its dangling tail. Finally, the beast was forced onto the earth.

Waiting for it were rows of Iron Golems with spears in hand.

Without hesitation, they lunged, piercing the dragon’s relatively softer underbelly. Blood gushed from its wounds.

At this point, the dragon had lost far more than just its dignity.

It had lost its ability to fly.
It had lost its lifeblood.
And now, it was on the verge of losing its very life.

Realizing its dire situation, the dragon inhaled deeply—preparing to unleash its fiery breath in a desperate bid for survival.

Marylia, however, swiftly leapt aside.

A torrent of flames erupted from the dragon’s maw, engulfing a group of Iron Golems.

But—

"Oh dear, what a waste of effort. They’re made of steel, you know."

A spear shot forward, impaling the dragon’s tongue. It pierced straight through its lower jaw and into the earth below, pinning it in place.

Yes—Iron Golems were forged of metal. While they could eventually melt under prolonged exposure to fire, they would not perish like humans, who could be instantly reduced to ash.

By unleashing its flames, the dragon had only exposed its own greatest weakness—its mouth.

And the golems, undeterred by fire, surged forward, exploiting that vulnerability.

Realizing its impending demise, the dragon lashed its tail in a last-ditch effort to fight back.

But striking a mass of iron only served to damage its own tail.

The golems, even when knocked over, remained intact—they did not break or crumple like fragile humans.

With a final, desperate roar, the dragon thrashed wildly.

Its violent death throes shook the earth.

Even the Iron Golems struggled to keep their footing, some falling or being thrown aside.

Sensing its only chance, the dragon broke the spear pinning its jaw and lunged straight for Marylia—

But.

"Settle down, now."

Marylia calmly pulled the trigger of her crossbow.

"Oh my, I really am quite something. Ehehehe."

Her bolt struck true, piercing the dragon’s eye.

As the beast reeled, Marylia retrieved a spear and approached.

"Tonight, we celebrate~”

With a radiant smile, she drove her spear deep into the dragon’s eye socket—straight into its brain.

And so, with its last shuddering breath, the dragon finally fell.

—That evening.

"Alright then! To the dragon hunt! Cheers!"

At Marylia’s call, the Iron Golems raised their fists, and a slime bounced in agreement.

Surrounded by her ever-silent subordinates, Marylia beamed as she held up a skewer of roasted dragon meat.

Butchering the dragon had been arduous, yet the Iron Golems made it significantly easier. Even so, the task of skinning, deboning, and portioning the massive creature had been an exhausting feat.

Still, completing it by evening was impressive.

"Ahaha. Ahh, how wonderful~! So many dragon materials!"

Marylia gazed gleefully at the mountain of dragonhide, claws, fangs, and bones before her. In Fractalia, selling an entire dragon’s worth of materials could buy a castle.

"The meat is so delicious~!"

The roasted dragon liver was rich and velvety, its outer layer crisp while the inside remained soft and flavorful.

Marylia ate happily, contemplating using dragon fat to make a pâté.

Delicious food was always a cause for joy! She was immensely satisfied with her victory.

Though she was eager to explore the valley town, the dragon’s materials were just as precious as any treasure within it. Transporting them while exploring would be impractical.

"Once we return, I’ll have the smithing golems process the meat and hide. Ehehe, and I mustn’t forget to share some with the slimes! Oh, and since I finally have refined iron, I should try making sausages…"

Marylia cheerfully made her way back to her base, savoring the thrill of her latest victory.

She still had much to think about—like the skull from the other night and the mysteries of the valley town.

But for now, she would relish the luxury of handling dragon materials.

"And I’d love a suit of dragon-scale armor too…"

With a bright smile, she walked on, dreaming of spears, armor, and sausages.

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