Hazel attempted to create a significant distance between them. The dragon, sensing his intention, unleashed a torrent of fire. The blazing breath enveloped Hazel, seemingly cornering him with no escape.
The inferno consumed Hazel from every direction, and it appeared the battle was decisively over.
"Quite disappointing," the dragon scoffed, convinced that Hazel was undoubtedly gone. But to its astonishment, Hazel stood unscathed, as if the searing flames had never touched him.
"Thanks to my Demon Lord title," Hazel thought, a silent breath of relief escaping him. "Without it, I would have been in grave danger."
[The Demon Lord title grants complete immunity to all fire attacks and debuffs.]
With newfound determination, Hazel launched himself towards the dragon, his scythe held ready. The dragon lunged, attempting to snap him with its colossal teeth, but its speed proved no match for Hazel's swiftness.
Hazel agilely leaped onto the dragon's head, then sprinted along its spine towards its neck. With a surge of mighty strength, he aimed a focused strike, hoping for a single, decisive blow. However, Hazel underestimated the dragon's formidable exoskeleton – it was no laughing matter.
Even with Hazel's full might, penetrating the dragon's hardened shell seemed impossible. Dodging the dragon's relentless assaults wasn't the issue; the true challenge lay in inflicting any meaningful damage.
Hazel was preparing for another strike when the dragon's tail whipped out like a sudden, brutal lash, catching Hazel completely off guard. The impact sent him hurtling through the air, blood erupting from his mouth.
The dragon's attacks were not to be underestimated. Hazel's defenses crumbled effortlessly beneath the dragon's sheer power.
Hazel slammed hard into a stone wall before collapsing to the ground. His scythe lay halfway across the cavern, far from his reach.
He slowly rose, then extended his hand towards his weapon. With a silent command, his scythe shot through the air like a jet, hurtling back to him. Just as he caught it, the dragon materialized before him, appearing as if it had vanished and reappeared in an instant.
Hazel barely managed to dodge the incredibly fast and unseen attack. He wondered how the dragon had moved with such impossible speed.
The dragon then tried to stomp on Hazel, but he narrowly scrambled out of the way, escaping the crushing blow.
Hazel then shifted his tactics, attempting to find a weak spot on the dragon's hide by striking underneath its massive frame.
He continued to slash at every part of the dragon's body, searching for a vulnerable point, but it was as if the creature had been forged from god-wrought steel.
"Stop running around and die!" the dragon roared, its voice echoing through the chamber.
The dragon then soared into the air, leaving Hazel on the ground below. Hazel gazed up at the colossal creature, a towering silhouette against the cavern ceiling.
"I've had enough of you, human," the dragon declared, its voice rumbling. "My immense size has always been a weakness against agile foes like you."
"Open your eyes wide, human, for this might be the last sight you ever behold," the dragon proclaimed, a chilling arrogance in its tone. "Consider it a great privilege." Fiery flames engulfed the dragon as it began to transform.
The dragon shifted into a humanoid form, shrinking in size but appearing even more dangerous and terrifying than before.
"Behold my humanoid form!" the dragon boomed. "With this transformation, you won't see another minute." In a blink, it suddenly appeared directly in front of Hazel.
The dragon delivered a brutal backhand punch, sending Hazel flying into the air and repeatedly crashing him against the ground.
At the final impact, Hazel landed on his feet, but before he could react, the dragon was already upon him. It seized his head and smashed him into the ground.
Then, it picked him up again, slamming him several more times.
Hazel was starting to look lifeless. The dragon chuckled, "Beg me, and I might let you live," before contemptuously tossing him aside.
Hazel, battered and covered in his own blood, struggled to his feet, barely able to stand.
"So, which will it be?" the dragon taunted. "Beg, and I'll let you live with a few limbs still intact, or resist and die?"
Hazel stood silently, offering no response. "Have you lost it?" the dragon sneered. "Did I smash your head a little too much? Well, I guess it's death then."
As the dragon spoke, it strode towards Hazel. Standing directly before him, it asked, "Any last wishes?"
A moment of profound silence. "If nothing then..." The dragon raised its hand, its claws sharpened and ready to pierce Hazel's heart. "...die!" Just as its hand moved, poised to strike through Hazel, the dragon heard something unexpected.
The dragon was initially confused, not understanding what was happening. Hazel began to laugh, a chilling, unnatural sound.
The laughter was loud and devilish, causing the dragon to raise its full guard and leap backward, creating distance between itself and Hazel.