The Extra Villain: I Made a Contract With The Dragon Empress!-Chapter 272: The Terrifying Corpse Dragon

Roar!

The dragon’s roar was so terrifying that Merlin’s hair stood on end.

And it wasn’t just the roar—its appearance was even more horrifying.

Its body was formed from human corpses piled together, giving it a twisted and imperfect shape.

It had only one wing on its right side, and even that was deformed.

Its left leg was missing, while both of its eyes were hollow and lifeless—not alive, but like a doll’s.

The dragon fixed its gaze on Merlin, then lunged at him.

Facing the attack, Merlin didn’t flinch. He leaped backward to evade it.

Boom!

The ground where he had been standing collapsed, leaving a hole one meter deep.

Not stopping there, the dragon pressed its assault, chasing him relentlessly.

Merlin jumped into the air, spun his body, and continued to evade its pursuit.

But he knew this couldn’t go on. He had to counterattack.

Opening his right palm, the Arkan staff appeared in his grasp.

Spinning midair, he pointed it forward and whispered, "High-Level Magic: Cry of Thunder!"

Whoosh!

A black cloud formed out of nowhere. From within it, black lightning crashed down upon the dragon.

Boom!

The dragon’s body was blown apart. At the same time, a foul, rotten stench spread in all directions.

It was the smell of corpses destroyed by Merlin’s magic.

Merlin quickly covered his nose, but the stench seemed to seep into his senses, making his stomach churn.

"Oh? How amazing!" Khar said, looking surprised. "You’re much stronger than I thought. Unfortunately..."

A thin smile appeared on his lips as he continued, "That’s not all. My monsters don’t die that easily!"

He brought his hands together. Suddenly, the destroyed dragon reformed.

This time, its body was no longer made entirely of corpses. Most of them had been obliterated by Merlin’s attack.

In their place, a mysterious and terrifying dark power spread, covering the missing parts of its body.

The power condensed, forming black flesh threaded with red veins that spread across its frame.

Each time the dragon moved, the veins pulsed in a horrifying rhythm.

The sight was so revolting that Merlin’s nausea returned.

Roar!

The dragon released another roar, sending out a powerful shockwave.

Merlin raised his left hand, and a blue barrier appeared to shield him.

"This is really... difficult," he whispered.

The dragon’s power was several times greater than before. If he wanted to defeat it, he couldn’t act rashly—he needed a plan.

Buzz!

The dragon opened its mouth, and a green fireball formed between its jaws.

It was launched at Merlin at tremendous speed.

Merlin swung his staff. A giant hand erupted from the ground and caught it.

Boom!

The explosion sent up a cloud of brown smoke, obscuring the view. A moment later, the dragon burst through the smoke, raising its right claw.

"Lightning Step!"

Merlin stepped back, and his figure vanished from where he had stood.

Slash!

The dragon’s attack missed, but it didn’t relent. Flapping its wings, it locked its gaze onto Merlin and gave chase.

The two chased each other, with Merlin clearly at a disadvantage.

The hall was actually quite spacious, but the dragon’s body was simply too large—nearly seven meters tall.

If Merlin took a single step forward, the dragon could cross a distance equal to hundreds of steps in an instant.

Not to mention, Khar watched from above, as if ready to execute Merlin the moment he tried to use his ultimate move to bring the dragon down.

As the distance between them closed, the dragon opened its mouth and fired a green fireball at Merlin’s back.

Sensing the danger, Merlin twisted his body to the side and swung his staff.

"Advanced Magic: Ice Wall!"

Fssh!

A five-meter-high wall of ice erupted from the ground, blocking the attack.

Boom!

The explosion released a wave of water vapor that spread throughout the hall. Then, within the mist, a faint green light appeared and shot toward Merlin.

Caught off guard, Merlin panicked and dropped his body downward.

Boom!

The light—nothing more than another fireball—slammed into one of the massive pillars behind him, destroying it.

The shockwave sent Merlin flying forward before he crashed to the ground and rolled.

A sharp pain tore through his back, but he didn’t hesitate. He immediately gulped down a level B healing potion.

A green light flashed, and the pain slowly faded. As the mist cleared, the dragon was revealed hovering three meters above him.

Its red right side, paired with its hollow left eye, looked utterly terrifying.

"Hahaha! Kid, you really amaze me. At the Fifth Spirit Core level, you can cast all kinds of impressive magic. Are you from the Arcadia Magic Kingdom?"

Khar’s playful voice came from above on the right. Merlin glanced in his direction as he slowly stood up.

Wiping the corner of his mouth, Merlin grinned and sneered. "The Arcadia Magic Kingdom? You mean that arrogant kingdom that considers all mages in this world—except themselves—nothing but trash? What a joke!"

He pointed at himself with his right thumb and declared, "I am a mage from the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria! Remember this well—my name is Merlin Clay, and I will be the one to kill you!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the system’s voice echoed in his mind.

"[Ding! Congratulations to the master for completing the hidden mission: bragging in front of the enemy! Reward: 15,000 system points and a strength-enhancing potion!]"

"[Important note: the strength-enhancing potion can temporarily raise you to the Third Spirit Core level and lasts for ten minutes. There are no side effects, as it is a perfect potion!]"

Merlin was stunned. He never expected his boastful words to grant him such a massive advantage.

If only he had known earlier, he would have cursed even more.

"Hahaha! Arrogant... so arrogant! Kid, you’re the most arrogant person I’ve ever met!" Khar laughed heartily. Yet his handsome face flushed red, as if he were barely holding back his anger. "Since you’re so confident in your abilities, I’ll grant your wish!"

Snap!

He snapped his fingers. Instantly, the veins on the dragon’s body pulsed again and again.

With each pulse, Merlin’s heart raced, as if it were being forced to beat in sync.

Whoosh!

Black light erupted from the dragon’s body. Moments later, its form reappeared.

This time, its appearance had changed. Where half of its body had once been made of corpses, it was now entirely solid black flesh.

Two horns jutted from its head, accompanied by rows of sharp, frightening fangs.

Merlin tensed immediately. From the aura alone, he could tell the dragon’s power had increased tenfold.

"Well then..." Khar flew higher and higher, almost brushing the ceiling of the hall. "Let’s begin the real show..."