The Power of Panamella

 

Its speed was slightly reduced, but it still seemed to be as fast as my all-out sprint.

 

At that moment, the ballista was finally ready, and the arrows started firing one after another.

 

The dragon’s eyesight was so good that it moved to avoid them, but it couldn’t avoid all the dozens of ballista bolts.

 

The ballista bolts shot through its body, wings, and legs. Around five of them hit it, maybe?

 

The ballista was so large that it took a long time to fire. I increased the length of the rod and the number of gears to draw the bow with the principle of a lever, but it may require more power than before.

 

While pondering this, I looked at the dragon through the half-opened gate.

 

The dragon had lost its balance and was rolling on the ground with a scream, stopping just beside the road.

 

I wondered what I would do if the arrow was bounced off the dragon’s scales, but it seemed to have gone through without incident.

 

“Hurry up, prepare the second shot! You can shoot immediately when you’re ready!”

 

Immediately after I gave the order, the arrows were released all at once. Everyone was loading up for the second shot, so it seemed to have taken a while.

 

There were fifty Ballistas already installed throughout the city, but only fifteen units on the front side of the city wall. In other words, only fifteen arrows can be fired at the same time.

 

Even though it was bleeding, the dragon jumped to the side again and evaded all the bolts.

 

The second shot did no damage to the dragon, although the bolts pierced deep into the street.

 

However, the damage from the arrow that pierced its torso in the first shot was so great that the dragon roared and dropped its stance low.

 

“I, I’m saved!”

 

“Nah, you managed to survive…”

 

And then Ortho and the others came back to the city wall. Ortho and the others breathed a sigh of relief, but it was not over yet.

 

“Oh, I won’t forget what you did to me…”

 

Xara, breathing hard and looking like he was dying, reached the castle wall.

 

Behind him, I could see the dragon kicking the ground as it readied itself.

 

Then, a second fire javelin is launched.

 

“Fire Javelin!”

 

At Panamella’s command, a mass of flames appeared and took the form of a spear.

 

“This will stop them for a moment! Everyone, evacuate to the village! We don’t have enough men here!”

 

Panamella instructed, and unleashed a spear of flame.

 

The dragon took an evasive stance in response. However, the flaming spear slightly changed its trajectory in front of the target and moved as if it was tracking it.

 

Then it exploded near the direct hit.

 

A violent pillar of flame erupted, burning the dragon’s face and parts of its body.

 

The dragon screamed, turned over, and took two steps back. That was the true essence of flame magic. If it wasn’t for the dragon, it would be terrifyingly powerful and versatile. The flashy effect would be good on the battlefield.

 

While I was surprised, I was late catching up with Panamella. Her battlefield experience was different.

 

“All right, all right! Everyone! Let’s run to the village!”

 

I repeated Panamella’s instructions again, taking a step back to tell the others. We all started running towards the village at once.

 

The soldiers led the way, and the villagers who had come to build the walls ran as fast as they could to the village.

 

“Van-sama, I’ll handle the back!”

 

Dee stayed at the back with his men around us.

 

“No! We’re all running to the village! People in front! Let the rest of the village prepare the ballista!”

 

I yell at Dee as I run and give instructions to the people in front.

 

Just then, I pass Espada, who stops to look at me.

 

“Espada!”

 

I yelled his name as I turned around. Espada looked at the dragon coming towards us and started to prepare his magic.

 

When the dragon reached the fortification wall, it kicked the ground and jumped up, placing its upper body on top of the wall and attaching itself to the wall with the claws of its front paws piercing the inner wall.

 

I gasped at the green forest dragon glaring at me as if to check on me in that state. I had been so proud after defeating the Armored Lizard. That thing was different from any other magical beast around.

 

With its wings damaged, it had no choice but to run on the ground, and yet its power was all the same.

 

“Espada, let’s get out of here!”

 

I shout, but Espada doesn’t move.

 

“If you don’t run fast, I won’t run either!”

 

I exclaimed again. Then Espada showed his profile with a thin smile.

 

“That’s a problem, I’m afraid. Well, let’s just buy ourselves some time and head back, Van-sama, after you.”

 

“I said we have to go back together!”

 

Espada chuckled and activated her magic against the dragon, who had easily climbed over the castle walls.

 

A huge wall of earth appeared in front of the dragon, which used the wall as a launching pad, and the dragon crashed face-first into it.

 

The earth rumbled, and the earth wall created by Espada collapsed, but the dragon also stopped moving as it was buried in the rubble.

 

“Hmm. I guess that bought us some time.”

 

Espada muttered as he stroked his chin between his fingers, then turned on his heel and came towards us.

 

But it was too late.

 

“Yes, no walking! Run! I’ll buy Espada a bottle of your favorite red wine if you try!”

 

“It’s hard for my old bones to run, but I’ll do my best.”

 

I scolded him, and Espada ran as fast as he could jog.

 

“Van-sama, I will help you with Espada-sama, go ahead!”

 

Camsin and I switch places and I start running again. We were almost at the main gate of the village, but it felt strangely far away, Ortho and the others had already done a lot of running, so they were running slow.

 

“Boy! We’re in position!”

 

Panamella shouted loudly, as she was on top of the village wall.

 

Looking over, all the ballista on the bulwark were already in position with the villagers who would be the firing squad.

 

“Load the arrows and prepare to fire! You have to draw them in, or they won’t hit! Just make sure you’re ready!”

 

I instructed as I ran, and the villagers hurried to begin preparations. Perhaps because it was a ballista of a size they were used to, their preparations were completed more quickly than ours.

 

“What about me! Can I move on my own?”

 

Panamella asked me, and I inwardly felt a little surprised as I answered.

 

“Also, please use the magic you just used to stop it at the last moment! That’s where we’ll aim the ballista!”

 

Panamella laughed in amusement as she replied.

 

“Good plan! But this is the first time my magic has been used to halt someone!”

 

“Sorry about that, could you let me off with some dragon meat!”

 

“Hahahaha! All right! Now, that meat is about to start moving!”

 

I turned around at Panamella’s words, and sure enough, the dragon was pushing away the debris to reveal itself.

 

“It’s coming!”

 

I shouted loudly and turned my attention back to the entrance of the village.