The red-haired girl finished off the dragon in the blink of an eye. The icy wind fluttered her cape, residual energy sparks still dancing on her hand.

"You two, are you alright?"

"Y-Yes... thanks for helping us," I replied, still stunned.

"Ren, this girl isn't normal. Lightning magic is supposed to be impossible," Maya whispered to me.

"Good. You should leave now. Staying here could be dangerous."

"Who do you think we are?! We're Rank S, and for your information, we were about to finish that dragon before you showed up!" Maya snapped furiously.

A sinister cracking sound interrupted us.

"What was that?" Maya immediately raised her guard.

Behind the mysterious girl, the dragon's headless body began to move.

"LOOK OUT!" I shouted instinctively.

The girl turned, but it was too late.

From the dragon's neck burst a mass of ice, forming a new head as its claws rose to crush her.

Without thinking, I rushed forward and extended my hand.

ZAAAP!

A lightning bolt—weaker than the girl's—shot from my fingers, striking the beast.

The dragon recoiled, giving her just enough time to dodge.

Her crimson eyes locked onto me, disbelief flashing across her face.

"...How is this possible?" she murmured. "No one but me should be able to conjure lightning."

Maya joined us, planting herself forward with her flaming sword.

"What the hell is that dragon?! And what the hell did you just do, Ren?!"

"I don't know!" I protested, equally confused.

The redhead smoothed her cape, regaining composure.

"It's an Ice Eclipse," she explained coldly. "The more you wound it, the stronger its mana grows. In other words, the more damage we deal, the more powerful it becomes. I made a mistake not realizing sooner..."

Maya paled.

"A-An Ice Eclipse...? Isn't that a mythical creature?"

"Myths are inspired by reality, no? Anyway, it's three against one now," the girl readied her stance. "Unless you'd rather flee."

The dragon roared, fully regenerated and stronger than before.

"Not a chance! I never run from a fight!" Maya declared.

"Wait! I get wanting to fight, but... how do we beat something that gets stronger when hurt? Doesn't that make it immortal?" I asked.

"There is a way," the girl said as the dragon charged. "We must destroy its mana core."

"Its mana core?! Oh right! That could work!" Maya dodged the dragon's swipe.

"What's a mana core?"

"A random point in its body where it concentrates energy. Not a physical organ, but a specific spot... making it nearly impossible to locate," the girl explained.

Suddenly, I sensed something glowing in the creature's lower left abdomen.

"Isn't that bright spot on its belly important?"

Both girls stared at me like I'd grown a second head.

"You can SEE its mana?!" Maya exclaimed.

"I don't know what it is, but I feel it's there."

The redhead nodded.

"Flame Sword Girl, distract it."

"Don't order me around!" Yet Maya charged at the dragon as if she knew exactly the plan.

"Now you," the girl said to me. "The moment that glowing spot is exposed, tell me exactly where."

"Got it."

As Maya kept the dragon occupied, I focused on timing—

"Now! There it is!" I yelled when the dragon raised its wounded wing.

ZAAAAAP!

Her lightning spear struck true, piercing exactly where I'd pointed.

The dragon's body crystallized... then shattered into icy fragments.