Arknights: I'm Pretty Strong With Minecraft — Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Ender Dragon? Dragon Girl?

Inside the main control room of the aerial base, complex flight trajectory maps illuminated the space with the faint glow of holographic projections. Ivan rubbed his slightly throbbing temples to ease the fatigue. He turned toward Ch’en, who was currently familiarizing herself with the intricacies of the control panel.

“Later on, we need to parachute directly into Chernobog for our mission,” Ivan said, stretching his stiff shoulders. “I need to go grab an elytra to improve my aerial maneuverability.”

He pointed toward a green flashing signal dot on the radar screen, tracing the dotted trajectory line with his finger.

“Ch’en, keep an eye on the radar for me. I am going to rest for a bit. Wake me up the moment Chernobog enters the red alert zone.”

Ch’en gave a firm nod and adjusted her seat in front of the glowing monitors.

“Understood. Go get some rest. I will handle things here.”

Ivan walked over to a quiet corner of the room, leaned back, and closed his eyes. His consciousness immediately sank into that familiar internal world.

The moment he materialized in his consciousness space, a familiar, gruff voice greeted him.

“Yo, quite diligent today, kid. What are you here for this time?”

Him was leaning casually against a wooden storage box, his eyes closed as he basked in the simulated sunlight.

“I need to make a trip to The End to get an elytra,” Ivan replied, walking straight toward the warehouse area. “I need it for a high-altitude drop.”

“Going to The End, huh…”

Him’s tone suddenly shifted, carrying a subtle, almost amused edge.

“Alright, go ahead.”

Ivan stopped dead in his tracks. He turned sharply and stared at the man with a look of pure suspicion.

“Something is not right. You are definitely hiding something from me.” Ivan narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the entity. “Spill it. What exactly happened in The End?”

Him waved a hand through the air with exaggerated nonchalance.

“What could possibly happen? Just go. Or what, do you want to start your combat training right now instead?”

“My mistake, my mistake. I am leaving right now.”

The mere mention of training made Ivan cave instantly. He spun around and power-walked toward the warehouse without looking back.

He spent a few minutes rummaging through the cluttered chests, eventually pulling out the Eyes of Ender he had stockpiled back when he built the Zombie Pigman Farm. Relying on his deep connection to this spatial domain, he quickly pinpointed the exact coordinates of the stronghold portal.

“Alright, this is the spot.” Ivan equipped his diamond pickaxe, the polished blue edge catching the light. “Time to dig. Quick and decisive.”

He swung the pickaxe, breaking through the first few layers of surface dirt. Suddenly, the ground beneath his boots gave way entirely.

“I am already there?”

Before Ivan could even react, gravity took over. He plunged straight into the dark cavern below, landing with a heavy thud against solid stone bricks.

“Ow, what the hell!”

Ivan rubbed his sore backside and pushed himself off the floor. He looked around the dim, mossy room and immediately spotted the portal frame. To his surprise, the starry void of the gateway was already active.

“Whoa, that saved me an Eye of Ender.”

Without hesitation, he stepped through the portal and let the spatial distortion pull him into The End.

As his boots touched the pale end stone, Ivan looked around the desolate landscape and let out a breath.

“It is my first time entering The End in such a lucid state. It actually feels quite novel.”

He dusted off his clothes and stretched his limbs, preparing for a fight.

“Never mind all that. I will just kill the dragon, grab the elytra, and leave.”

However, as Ivan stepped fully onto the main island, the sight before him brought him to a dead halt. He rubbed his eyes, thinking the spatial transfer had messed with his vision, and scanned the empty obsidian pillars.

“Where is my massive Ender Dragon? Why is she gone?”

Right at that moment, a clear, melodic female voice chimed from directly behind him.

“Hi, Ivan. I have been waiting for you for so long.”

Ivan spun around, his hand instinctively reaching for his inventory. Instead of a towering beast of scales and void, he found a young woman smiling brightly at him.

She possessed long, waist-length purple hair that seemed to shimmer with trapped starlight. A pair of delicate, obsidian-black dragon horns rested on her head, and her deep purple eyes looked as though they contained the entire cosmos. She wore an elegant black dress, the hem embroidered with mysterious, glowing runes that pulsed faintly in the dim atmosphere of The End.

Ivan took a half-step back, thoroughly bewildered.

“You know my name? Wait, your appearance… could you be the Ender Dragon?”

“You guessed it.” The girl gave a playful twirl, the dark fabric of her skirt flaring out in a graceful arc. “How do I look? Not bad, right?”

“Oh. Then come on.”

Ivan’s expression went completely flat. He drew the War God’s Blade in a flash of steel and dropped into a low combat stance.

The Ender Dragon Girl froze mid-twirl. Her smile vanished, replaced by a deeply aggrieved pout.

“Huh? Why are you acting like this?” She took a few tentative steps forward, her starry eyes wide with genuine confusion. “No, wait. You see a beautiful older sister like me standing right in front of you, and you are not even a little bit tempted?”

“I want the elytra.”

Ivan’s voice was completely deadpan, his sword unwavering.

“Actually, I can be your personal fighter,” she offered, trying a different angle to convince him. “I am incredibly good at fighting.”

“I want the elytra.”

“I am a super rare dragon girl, you know!” She pointed at her glowing horns, desperately emphasizing her value. “I am the only one in all of The End!”

“I have a whole bunch of dragon girls back home.”

The Ender Dragon Girl puffed out her cheeks in sheer frustration, glaring at him with intense displeasure.

Seeing that she had absolutely no intention of attacking, Ivan lowered his stance and let out a heavy sigh, sheathing his weapon.

“Alright, fine. If you do not want to fight, then just obediently open the gateway. I am going to the End City to find my elytra.”

Internally, the Dragon Girl was screaming.

‘Elytra, elytra, what is wrong with that wooden head of yours? I am practically offering myself to you on a silver platter, and you only care about a pair of broken bug wings!’

On the surface, however, she maintained a sugary sweet smile. She stepped close and gently tugged on the fabric of Ivan’s sleeve.

“Um, if I just give you the elytra, can you take me outside to play? I promise to stay right by your side. I will not run around, and I will be perfectly good.”

With a flick of her wrist, she pulled a pair of exquisite wings from her personal inventory space and held them out to him. These elytra were a deep, captivating purple, with a liquid starlight sheen flowing continuously across their surface. They were vastly superior in craftsmanship to any ordinary set of wings.

Ivan took the item, his eyes widening as he inspected the shimmering texture.

“Holy moly, it even comes pre-enchanted.”

He stored the wings safely, then looked back at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

“But are you guys not restricted from leaving this place?”

“The gods are restricted, so of course they cannot leave,” she explained casually, twirling a strand of starlit hair around her finger. “Your current strength is not high enough yet, and Notch has not completely seized control over the domain. Cross-world travel for them is a massive headache. But I am different. I am just a BOSS.”

Ivan’s mind worked quickly, catching the heavy implications in her casual chatter.

“You know an awful lot about this. Did Notch tell you all of that?”

“Of course.” She puffed out her chest with pride, her black horns swaying slightly. “After all, this entire world is bound to your existence. We are in a symbiotic relationship. So strictly speaking, everyone here can be considered your family and friends.”

She suddenly leaned in close, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper near his ear.

“Except for those Pillagers, of course.”

Seeing Ivan’s surprised expression, she stepped back and offered a sly wink.

“Do not listen to Him’s nonsense. He just cannot let go of his massive pride, but he actually cares about your progress a lot.”

Ivan crossed his arms, highly amused.

“You are exposing his emotional weaknesses right to my face. Are you not afraid he will come after you for this?”

“Nope.” The girl smiled mischievously, the purple cosmos in her eyes dancing with mirth. “If he is going to hit anyone out of embarrassment, he will hit you.”

Ivan opened his mouth to argue, found he had absolutely no counter to that logic, and snapped his mouth shut.

He looked at the dragon girl standing before him. She was blinking her large, expectant eyes, practically vibrating with the desire to leave the void. Ivan began to calculate the logistics in his head.

‘Bringing her along does not seem like a terrible idea. She is pleasing to the eye, acts as an extra free laborer, and can serve as a heavy-hitting fighter in critical moments.’

“Alright then,” Ivan finally relented, though he pointed a stern warning finger at her. “Stay close to me, do not run off on your own, and listen to my orders.”

“Okay!” The Ender Dragon Girl cheered. She immediately closed the distance and happily linked her arm through his, her face glowing with pure excitement. “I finally get to go out and see the world! Do not worry, I promise to be the best!”

With his objective secured and an unexpected companion in tow, Ivan triggered the exit portal and left The End.

Back in the physical world of Terra, Ivan opened his eyes within the quiet confines of the aerial base control room.

Standing right beside his chair was a slender figure in a black and purple dress, her eyes wide as she curiously inspected the high-tech environment.

“Is this your flying fortress?” the Ender Dragon Girl asked, practically bouncing on her heels as she looked at the holographic displays. “It is even more impressive than I imagined!”

Ch’en turned around from the radar console, her eyes darting from Ivan to the horned girl clinging to his arm.

“Ivan, were you not just resting?” Ch’en asked, her voice laced with deep professional confusion. “How did you just conjure up an entire person?”