Dragon.

What can be said about the creatures that bear that name that hasn’t already been said? The earth-shaking, sky-shattering roar. The shining red scales. The hot breath reeking with sulfurous miasma. The impossibly sharp claws, fangs, and tail. Creatures with enough treasure to fund an entire nation, intelligence that outstrips the greatest sages, and eternal life.

And one of them, among the most powerful life-forms in the Four-Cornered World, was standing before the adventurers now.

“GROOGB! GOORGGBBB!!” And on its back rode a gloating, cackling goblin.

“…This is like some bad joke,” Goblin Slayer said, almost in spite of himself, and who could blame him?

Then the aggrieved red dragon struck out with its long, coiled neck, catching the pillars around the party in the blow. The adventurers had jumped backward almost before the dragon moved, so they were unharmed, but rubble and gold coins flew around like projectiles.

“GGOOGRGGBB!!” Seeing the adventurers raise their shields or crouch down to avoid the flying debris, the goblin rider gibbered irritably. He pulled the reins in every direction, and each time he did so, the dragon would twitch with evident anger.

High Elf Archer, who had jumped to another pillar, sounded uncharacteristically bitter for a high elf as she exclaimed: “How does a dragon let itself get harnessed by a goblin?!”