"Whoa, look at that monster. It's like a sleeping building. Princess Flora, are you sure the thing we're looking for is in here? Because I have zero intention of waking that thing up."

  "Unfortunately, my dear 4, that is precisely why we are here."

  Number 4 swallowed hard at Princess Flora’s answer. For once, he dropped his sarcastic demeanor and began to really look at the crystal dragon. He couldn't imagine how they could possibly defeat a monster of this magnitude—even with Number 1 on their side.

  "Come on, buddy. You look way too serious for a little reptile."

  Number 4 tried to remain composed at Number 1's tasteless joke, but his inner voice was screaming. The dry winds of the cave suddenly felt like the breath of death against his skin, and every instinct pressured him to run.

  While wrestling with himself, he felt a sudden warmth on his trembling right hand. It was a familiar, soft touch; Number 7’s hand, holding his.

  The voices in his head went silent. Number 4 turned to Number 7.

  She was staring at the ground. He moved closer, cupped her cheek with his left hand, and gently lifted her head.

  'Damn, she's cute,' he couldn't stop himself from thinking. She looked up at Number 4 like an innocent child, gripping his hand tightly, as if to say, Don't leave me.

  Number 4 gazed into her eyes—red as her hair—while caressing her cheek with his thumb. He gently pulled his hand away and placed it flat against her chest. Her heart hammered rapidly beneath his palm.

  "I shouldn't be here..." Number 7 mumbled.

  Number 4 leaned in closer. "Say that again."

  "I shouldn't be here! I'm just a burden to everyone! Even if you don't say anything, I can feel it. This pressure in my chest... it just won't go away."

  A sour expression formed on Number 4's face. Sure, the fact that Number 7's flames were useless against the crystal monsters was an extra workload. But did that really make her 'useless'?

  "No, don't think like..."

  "Alright, lovebirds. If your little chat is over, can we get back to business?"

  Number 4's words were cut off by Number 1's voice.

  Number 7 put on a sad, "never-mind" smile.

  "Alright. First off, Number 7, your flames are useless to us right now. It'd be better for all of us if you stay behind Number 25. And you, 25..."

  Number 1 stopped mid-sentence. He focused on Number 25, who had tilted her head back and was staring at the arena ceiling.

  "Is everything alright, 25?"

  Suddenly realizing all eyes were on her, Number 25 stumbled slightly.

  "Ah, no... well, I... It's just very wide in here. And the ceiling is high," she stammered. "If this dragon wakes up, and it can fly... that's suicide for us. That's what I was thinking, anyway."

  "You're absolutely right to think that, my dear 25. You see that faint sunlight coming from the ceiling, don't you? That entrance was this dragon's connection to the outside world. Of course, this was a long time ago. My ancestors managed to control the dragon and hid the key to a very special treasure here. That's what we're after. Did you see the bright red stone on top of its head?" Princess Flora said.

  Everyone except Number 1 examined the bright red stone on the dragon's head. Indeed, the stone was glaringly out of place on the head of this pale-blue crystal creature.

  "What exactly does that stone do, Princess?" Number 25 asked.

  Flora continued with that same affectionate smile. "It allows the dragon to guard the treasure... and to sleep for hundreds of years without disturbing anyone."

  "Of course, now we have to wake it from its beauty sleep, only to put it into an eternal one," Number 1 added, brandishing his silver spear.

  "Okay. Number 7, stay behind 25; your flames are useless right now. Number 25, I want you ready to provide support fire. Number 4 and I will try to take this reptile down, while Princess Flora provides us with magical protection. Understood?"

  "Um... still, the flying issue..." Number 25 started, but fell silent as Number 1 held up his hand.

  "I'm about to take care of that part right now," Number 1 said, then turned to the Princess. "I hope this is worth it, Princess."

  Flora, insisting on that delicate smile, gave a graceful nod.

  Number 1 turned back to the dragon, his eyes fixed on the sleeping monster with ambition. He took the spear in his right hand, brought it back level with his shoulder, and began to draw his arm back fully. He narrowed his sun-colored eyes, focusing intently on the creature's left wing, and took a deep breath.

  The silver spear began to glow with a soft golden light, slowly starting to radiate heat. His eyes snapped open. With every vein in his neck visible, he shouted, "Get ready!" and threw the spear at its target with all his might.

  The spear, flying with a sound like thunder, zeroed in on its target. But as it approached, the sleeping dragon's eyes snapped open. It swatted the incoming silver spear with the hard part of its right claw, batting it high into the air. The spear, now tumbling into the darkness, lit up the cavern with its light, as if it had brought the sun underground.

  Number 1 immediately focused on his spear, and the weapon, still flying upward, reappeared in his hand as if nothing had happened.

  Enraged at being awakened, the dragon opened its mouth to its fullest extent. It let out a violent roar from jaws wide enough to swallow a human whole. Disturbed by the sound, Number 25 and Number 7 clamped their hands over their ears, waiting for the dragon to close its maw. They struggled to endure the ear-splitting sound and the stench of the creature's harsh breath.

  Suddenly, the crystal on the dragon's head fractured, and the dragon shook off the dust covering its body as if waking up. It began to stretch its wings, finally free. As the wings unfurled, the sound of cracking crystals echoed through the massive chamber.

  After opening its enormous wings fully, it beat them forward violently. The force of the wind from each wingbeat was visibly slamming into the team.

  As if its warm-up was complete, it stopped flapping and pointed its head toward the sky, beginning to ascend.

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  "No, it's not that easy!" Number 1 said. He focused, gripping his spear with both hands, and transparent wings, blazing like the sun, began to unfurl from his back.

  He tensed, pushing off from his legs, and launched himself toward the dragon. He glittered in the air, leaving a trail of hot light behind him. The crystal dragon, sensing the approaching threat, opened its maw and lunged, trying to bite Number 1. But Number 1 accelerated, dodging to the side. He flared his wings to stop himself level with the dragon's eye and, gripping his spear with both hands, plunged it deep into the monster's pale right eye.

  The dragon let out a massive shriek and, before it could even taste its freedom or the sweet warmth of the sun, it crashed back down to the ground, shaking the very floor it had slept on.

  Number 1 tried to pull out his spear and make a second move, but the monster's thrashing in agony caused him to lose his balance.

  He threw himself forward, taking flight again, and landed back next to the team.

  "Its back may be covered in hard crystal, but its eyes and its belly are soft! 4, I'll keep it distracted, you aim for the underbelly! Princess, be ready to protect us from any danger. 25, I need you to draw its attention when necessary!"

  Just as Number 1 finished speaking, the crystal dragon tried to take flight again. But the loss of one eye prevented it from moving properly; as it tried to fly, it kept crashing into the walls. The force of the impacts shook the arena like an earthquake.

  "Come on, 4!" Number 1 shouted, launching himself towards the crystal dragon once more. A massive surge of energy gathered around the spear in his right hand. With a thunderous roar, he hurled his re-energized spear.

  The dragon, barely noticing the hot, silver object coming straight at it, managed to stop it at the last second by opening its jaws and catching the spear between its teeth. However, the powerful kinetic force of the spear was so strong that it caused the dragon to fall backward, slamming its back against the arena wall.

  Before the dragon could dislodge the spear it was desperately clenching in its teeth, Number 1 descended, landing centered on the dragon's maw. He gripped his spear and began to thrust it forward with all his weight.

  "Its belly is exposed, Number 4!" Number 1 roared. His eyes were wild with rage, his voice hoarse with fury.

  Number 4 rushed the dragon, launched himself into the air, and vanished. He reappeared right at the creature's relatively defenseless underbelly, dagger held high in both hands. But the dragon's remaining eye was fixed right on him.

  Before he could complete his strike, he felt the brutal impact of the dragon's left back-claw slam into his entire body, sending him flying backward. As he fell, he vanished again, reappearing closer to the ground to soften the impact. He rolled several times before lying motionless on the floor.

  Seeing Number 4 fall, Princess Flora immediately focused on him and used her healing magic. After warm, green motes of light covered his entire body, Number 4’s eyes shot open, and he coughed up blood onto the floor.

  Without waiting for the coughing to stop, Number 4 slowly pushed himself up, looking at Princess Flora with gratitude.

  However, Number 4 wasn't the only one looking at the Princess; the Dragon, realizing who had healed him, was looking at her too.

  The Dragon violently thrashed its head from side to side, throwing off Number 1, who was still trying to push the spear forward. Thrown clear, Number 1 stabilized himself in the air with his wings and recalled his spear, which shot out of the Dragon's mouth and flew back to his hand.

  The dragon, now focused on the Princess, began to advance with earth-shaking steps.

  Number 25, realizing the dragon was now targeting Flora, immediately drew her bow. She fired the energy arrow that materialized on the string straight at the dragon's wounded right eye. Flying with a high-pitched whistle, the arrow struck its target before the dragon could react, exploding inside the very eye Number 1 had already pierced.

  Its wounded eye burning from the heat of the explosion, the dragon thrashed its head in agony. It forgot its target—the Princess—and instead charged at Number 25, the one who had attacked it.

  Number 25, seeing the massive creature bearing down on her, dove sideways at the last second, crashing to the floor.

  "Ahhhhh!"

  As Number 25 scrambled up from the ground, she realized the shrill scream had not been hers. She turned around and saw Number 7, who hadn't been so lucky: The dragon had its teeth sunk deep into 7's legs, piercing them through.

  The crystal dragon lifted its head, as if intending to swallow Number 7, who was still trapped in its teeth.

  In that exact instant, Number 1 dove from the sky like a bolt of lightning, crashing down onto the dragon's head. He began hammering the crystals on its skull with his spear, cracking the hard plating one blow after another.

  However, with every strike, the dragon roared in agony and instinctively bit down harder, shredding Number 7's delicate legs like a saw.

  When Number 4 realized Number 7 was in the dragon's mouth, his eyes went wide with horror. Even though Flora had just healed the wounds he received from the fall, the physical pain still lingering in his body was instantly erased by the sheer terror of the sight before him.

  His body began to tremble, unsure what to do in the face of the horrifying scene. He clenched his teeth so hard it felt like they would break, squeezed his eyes shut, and with the explosion of rage building inside him, he suddenly launched himself forward, screaming.

  Stumbling toward the dragon with unbalanced steps, Number 4 gripped his dagger tightly, threw himself into the air, and vanished again. He reappeared at the dragon's belly, plunging the dagger into the monster's chest. Gripping the hilt with both hands, he used his full body weight to force the dagger downward, beginning to rip the crystal dragon's abdomen open.

  Number 7, still in the dragon's mouth, directed her hands toward Number 4's dagger before she lost consciousness. The dagger, which was slowly tearing its way down the dragon's belly, suddenly began to heat up, searing the wound it was creating.

  Unable to withstand the agony, the crystal dragon roared and opened its mouth, dropping Number 7, whose legs had been shredded by its teeth.

  Seizing this opportunity, Number 1 superheated his spear once more and, opening his wings, soared into the sky. As if to say, "You won't escape this time," he hurled his spear one last time. The spear, moving with intense heat, first entered the dragon's open mouth, pierced its tongue, and then exited through its chin, embedding itself in the ground right next to Number 7.

  The dragon, visibly exhausted, shuddered with broken groans and collapsed, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

  Number 4, who had leaped clear just before the dragon fell, glanced first at the fearsome monster, then ran to Number 7's side, where Number 25 was already kneeling.

  "No... no, please..."

  "Okay, stay calm. Don't waste your energy. Princess Flora can heal you."

  Tears streamed from Number 25's eyes, dripping onto Number 7's motionless body. As much as they had clashed, she wouldn't wish this fate on anyone.

  Number 4 approached the pair. He first looked at the crying Number 25, and then at the sight he didn't want to see: Number 7's legs.

  The legs, savaged by the dragon, were unrecognizable. The sight made his head spin and his stomach churn.

  "4... I..." Number 7 said, her voice catching.

  "Shh, okay, I'm here. Please, just don't wear yourself out, okay?" Number 4 said. He was leaning over her head, holding her hand tightly with both of his, trembling.

  "Princess Flora! Where are you? We need help, now!" he shouted, turning his gaze toward Number 1 and Flora.

  Number 1 and Flora were standing by the dragon's head, continuing their conversation as if nothing had happened.

  Thinking he must be seeing things, Number 4 cried out again: "FLORA!"

  Number 4's shout finally stopped their conversation. Number 1, followed by Flora, casually approached the rest of the team.

  "This doesn't look good, does it, Flora?" Number 1 said. He placed his left hand on the spear embedded in the ground next to Number 7 and slowly pulled it free.

  "Princess, please, do something!"

  Number 4 couldn't understand why he had to beg for help. Shouldn't the Princess have rushed over without hesitation? Why had they just stood there?

  And most importantly, why wasn't this Princess wiping that smile off her face?

  "Unfortunately, my dear 4, there's nothing I can do about this. She won't be able to walk."

  "But Prin..."

  "That's enough!" Number 4's voice was cut off by Number 1's shout.

  "Don't you see, friend? Her legs are shattered. What good is she to us now, other than being a burden?"

  Number 4's pupils were trembling; he gripped Number 7's hand even tighter.

  "What does that mean, 'friend'?" he said, his voice cracking with rage and disbelief.

  Number 1 took a calming breath. Maintaining his composure, he leaned in close to Number 4's ear.

  "Don't you get it, 4? This is just a game," he said, and continued to whisper so the others couldn't hear.

  Number 4, his eyes fading with despair, looked at Number 7. He couldn't say anything as he slowly pulled his hands away from her cold ones.

  "No... 4, please!" Number 7 begged, tears streaming down her face, pleading with him not to leave her.

  Number 25, on the other hand, couldn't stand the suffocating atmosphere. Just as she tried to step forward to speak, Number 1's threatening gaze met hers. 'This can't be real,' she thought, but she had no strength to defy Number 1.

  "You really were nothing but trouble for us, weren't you, 7?" Number 1 said with chilling calmness. He reversed his grip on the spear, holding it with both hands.

  "No..."

  Before Number 7 could finish her word, Number 1's spear plunged through her chest.

  Tears streamed from her bright, red eyes as they slowly began to fade. Her gaze was fixed on Number 4 until the very end.

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