Even though his nerves had cracked like a taut bowstring, Ed couldn't help but glance up at the ice dragon in surprise and apprehension—he could hear a hint of unexpected panic in the low curse.

But the ice dragon's golden eyes were still cold and bright, with natural pride, and there was not the slightest fear to be seen.

The dark and dull scythe fell, slow and heavy, and the sound of the wind was indescribably hollow and dull. Ed came to his senses in an instant, his staff tapping on the ice.

Where the skeleton landed, the solid ice melted in an instant. Then the huge skeleton should have a hard time getting up if it falls into the water......

But it didn't fall.

It stepped on the surface of the sea, its body only swaying slightly, and the scythe still smashed against the light curtain that protected them, and the soft white light suddenly dimmed.

“...... Those tentacles. Ice Dragon said.

Ed saw it.

The black tentacles were wrapped around the bones of the skeleton's claws, like tangled into a solid enough reef. Ed licked his dry lips and waved his left hand horizontally, bringing up a shimmer of light like ripples.

The glimmer of light shifted, transforming into a translucent greatsword as it burst out of the light curtain, slashing at the skeleton's left leg. Almost at the same time, the ice dragon's long tail flung out and slammed into the skeleton's right leg.

After many battles side by side, the ice dragon seems to have finally learned a little bit what it means to "cooperate" - and Ed was almost moved to tears.

The giant-sized skeleton was surprisingly nimble. The scythe swirled slightly, slashing downward, cutting into the ice dragon's tail, and its left leg was raised high with the downward force of the scythe as it was about to fall, avoiding the direct attack of the greatsword.

The Sword of Light paused in mid-air, turned around like a shark chasing its prey, and once again rushed towards its target, stubbornly clinging to it.

On the other side, the ice dragon unfolded its body, which had to shrink due to the too narrow place to stay, and stood directly on the ice, standing upright, its claws whistling and slapping at the skeleton's cervical vertebrae.

In a short period of time, a fine layer of sweat was already oozing from Ed's forehead. The ice dragon was out of the light curtain, and the lightsaber that was rapidly circling around the enemy seemed to be about to break out of his grasp.

The low hum was like some kind of warning, and when the light on the sword began to flicker wildly, Ed decisively let it dissipate into the air.

The next moment, the giant serpent formed by the condensation of the sea poked out from beneath the surface of the water and climbed towards the thick leg bones of the skeleton.

The crimson light once again flowed over the black skeleton, scorching a layer of hot mist like a red-hot iron rod as the serpent wound around it, and the sound of scorching on real flesh and blood.

Ed's compositor summons another spell.

He had been on his toes from the very beginning of the battle, but the skeleton that had broken away from the demon ship didn't let out a howl that was enough to tear the soul like the last time. It fought in silence, staggering several times but never falling - those black tentacles always grabbed it with agility and time, propped it up, and quickly regained its balance.

The tentacles came from the magic ship, and seemed to be the same thing as the black mist that had transformed into giant wings, and it was difficult to cut off because it was not entirely substantial, even if Ed used his own blood.

In Ed's opinion, that's the hardest thing to deal with. They seem to be an extension of some kind of will...... He couldn't help but think of the monster that the former Lord of the West Tower had turned into in the valley of the mountains.

Here he does not have the power to destroy it.

Ed could only keep changing spells. He's dealing not only with the giant undead—this thing should be considered an undead ?—— and ghostly tentacles, but also spears and arrows that shoot from the magic ship from time to time.

The Ice Dragon only knew how to attack and ignore defense, and he didn't dare to let any weapon fall on the Ice Dragon's body at all...... God knows what's attached to it.

It didn't take long for him to start thinking about escaping. Although they didn't seem to be down for a moment, the ice dragon could barely fly, and Nine Toes, who was leaning on the side of the ship and watching the battle leisurely, still looked at ease.

Indeed, they could not do anything to him...... Who knows if that weird curse on him will still have an effect here.

But they don't have to decide the winner at such a time.

Ed made up his mind. The Staff of Eternity pressed down as he ran towards the ice dragon.

"Is!" he shouted.

The ice dragon, who was slamming his whole body into the skeleton, roared angrily, reluctantly changed direction, spread its wings and swooped over, grabbing him in his front paws.

The black waves roared beneath the magic ship, like some even bigger monster churning in the water, trying to leap out of the sea. Above the huge waves, the skeleton staggered forward and fell, and was dragged up by the tentacles, almost hanging in the air.

The magic ship stood nearly upright under the impact of the waves. Nine-toed quickly grabbed the rope on the side of the boat, flicking it around like a spider pulling silk, but still had time to wave at Ed in the dragon's claws.

Ed was already glad that this blow was successful, so he didn't bother to care about it. He turned his head, wiped the water from his face, and patted the ice dragon's claws soothingly.

"Ignore him!" he cried out as the waves roared as they waned, "get out of here!"

The soft glow of the Staff of Eternity turned into a warm stream of air, lifting the Ice Dragon's heavy wings and allowing it to fly higher.

The ice dragon turned its head silently, and turned back vigilantly before it had flown a distance from the dragon's body.

A huge black shadow pressed down.

Instead of capsizing, the magic ship that had been thrown to the crest of the wave turned around, its stern downward, and when the waves fell, it slid down and smashed straight into the ice dragon's body.

Ed swung his cane so hard that he almost threw it out, but his heart sank instantly.

No matter how strong the defense is, it can't resist such a ship.

The waves condense into ice and fall faster. But the magic ship has been almost detached from the sea, and it has not been hindered much by this.

It smashed against the curtain of light that Ed evoked, and with a slight shock, it continued to fall. The shattered light scattered like flowers in the darkness and vanished.

The ice dragon flailed its wings with all its might, but could not escape. The tentacles that stretched out from the ship wrapped around its hind paws, and as it roared and tried to break free, the ship was pulled, swayed, and slowly buckled down.

“...... That madman!"

Ed finally couldn't help but scold.

Nine-toed ...... Do you really believe that this ship will not be destroyed even if it does, or would you rather destroy this ship than die with them?

The ice dragon paused in mid-air for a moment, and Ed's heartbeat came to a halt.

"Is!" he yelled with his head up, "you can't ......"

The ice dragon let go of its claws and threw him farther out into the sea.

The Dragon of the End

The Dragon of the End