Slaying a dragon, final part.

'...is it too late to change my mind?' Kazuma thought mentally. 'Breaking my weapon constantly is a GREAT running gag! ...I DO have to be alive for there to be a running gag about it, right?' Just as the dragon was about to blast them, Kazuma, thinking fast, did the only thing he could think of. "Create Water!" he shouted, putting all the mana he could into the spell, and aiming right for the mouth and nostrils.

The water formed right in and over the orfices just as the ice breath was about to unleash... And froze, effectively plugging the dragon's mouth and nostrils in ice. The dragon's eyes widened comically as it realized it couldn't breathe, and it began thrashing about. "Now's our chance, run, run, RUN!!!" Kazuma shouted, and he and Darkness booked it, Fio right behind them.

"Quick thinking Kazuma!" Fio complimented, running with them, as they heard the dragon bashing its face into the ground and into nearby boulders, trying to break the ice before it suffocated. They made it back behind cover, and peeked out to see the dragon successfully shattering the ice and shaking its head, taking in breaths of air.

"That was close," Cremea admitted as she and Aqua joined them behind cover.

"No shit!" Kazuma hissed, his mind racing as he thought up a plan. "We gotta finish that thing off somehow!" He then began thinking as the dragon started stomping towards their position. He quickly formulated a plan, and turned to Aqua. "Aqua, do you have a spell that boosts strength?"

"...yeah, why?" Aqua asked.

"Perfect! Ramp up Fio's defense in case it attacks her physically, then boost Darkness's luck, and Cremea's strength! Fio, can you run decoy again?" Kazuma asked as Aqua got started. "I'll plug its mouth and nostrils again if it tries to blast you."

"You can count on me!" Fio nodded.

"Why does she get to be the decoy?" Darkness pouted.

"Because I'm going to need you to throw Cremea onto its back!" Kazuma told Darkness. "That's why I'm having Aqua boost your luck so you don't miss!"

"Come again?" Cremea blinked. "Throw me?"

"You want the kill, or not?" Kazuma snapped as the dragon almost reached their position just as Aqua finished, collapsing like Megumin from mana exhaustion. "Go!" Fio nodded and made a dash for it out of cover, shooting at it to get its attention. Predicably, the dragon focused on her, and inhaled to try to blast her. "Create Water!" Kazuma cast.

Once again, the dragon's face was plugged, and it choked, giving Kazuma a glare that clearly screamed, "Quit doing that!"

Darkness, carrying Cremea came out from cover from the other side of the boulder, and Darkness asked, "Ready?"

"Hell noOOOOOO!!!" Cremea screamed as Darkness summarily ignored her answer, and yeeted her right onto the back of the dragon as it was trying to break the ice on its face again. Recovering, she steadied herself, and shouted, "I'm sorry about this, but I need a dragon kill under my belt!" She then brought the mace down with all of her absurdly boosted might, smashing right into the dragon's spine. Its eyes turned white as agony shot through its body, scales and blood flying off from the impact. She struck again, and then again, and the beast spasmed, before stilling, and collapsing, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

Cremea jumped off, panting. "Whoo!" she cheered as they turned, and cautiously approached. Fio poked at it. No response, and given the rate blood was leaking out from the crater Cremea put in its back, it was clearly done.

"Who-hoo! We did it! We killed a dragon!" Fio cheered.

"...I'm still kinda processing the fact that we actually pulled this off," Kazuma admitted as Darkness picked Aqua up. "Cremea, go get Megumin..."

"On it!" she nodded, and dashed off.

(Quick question for you all, did I do Kazuma's tactical mind justice in this battle?)