Chapter 179

CHAPTER 107 The Ex–Demon Lord and the Frenzied King of Dragons’ Secret As soon as Elzard helped me to my feet, I said, “I want to defeat Mephisto Yuu Phegor by force. I know it sounds impossible, considering he was born in the old world, but…is there some tactic we can exploit?” Elzard folded her arms and frowned. “If such a tactic existed, we wouldn’t have to team up.” “Yeah, figured,” I whispered to myself. In Elzard’s eyes, the very act of cooperating with me was already an ironic tactic. And I thought I knew why she chose to do so anyway. “When you had the final battle against him in the ancient era…you won, didn’t you? And according to legend, it was a simple contest of force, just like this time.” Elzard was saying we had a chance if we mimicked history. However, I’d been present for that old fight, and I had to object. “Sorry, but all we did was seal Mephisto. We didn’t defeat him. If anything…we lost.” Haunting memories surged within me. I recalled a time when my side controlled most of the world. The Evil Gods, called the Outer Ones at the time, had been reduced to solely Mephisto. He was the only one remaining, forcing me to make a choice. “I had to either subdue Mephisto Yuu Phegor, the last of the Evil Gods, or…enter a peace treaty on his terms and postpone the problem. After much agonizing, I made my decision.” I’d selected the latter. There were many reasons, but the largest was… “You may already know this, but I regarded Lydia the Champion as a dear friend and a lover. If I confronted Mephisto on the battlefield, somebody was bound to die, and it easily could have been Lydia. It wasn’t worth taking that risk to kill Mephisto.” That’s why I chose to delay the problem. Had I been able to voice my feelings honestly, perhaps things would’ve turned out differently. “Lydia vehemently opposed my decision. Mephisto was her father, but he also murdered her mother. Avenging her mother was her life’s mission. So she confronted me, and…” “Ah. You made it worse,” Elzard breathed quietly. I nodded. The guilt would stay with me forever. I’d failed to bare my heart to her. I should have said, “I don’t want to lose you.” Six simple words. Instead… “I said, ‘If you want to die that badly, then suit yourself.’ And she called my bluff and mobilized the troops. Ultimately, Lydia’s forces suffered tremendous casualties, and Mephisto possessed her. He turned her into his puppet.” She committed horrible atrocities, and that had left me with no choice. “To preserve Lydia the Champion’s good name…I killed her.” My soul had burned with guilt and loss, which in time turned into vengeance… And thus, I’d vowed to put Mephisto down. “In those days, every living soul despised Mephisto. Most of my own soldiers were obsessed with killing him. That’s why there wasn’t the slightest backlash at the mass renunciation of the Evil Gods.” Lydia’s surviving soldiers had joined us, and we unleashed the entirety of our wrath against the last Evil God. “All my soldiers were unique individuals, not the sort who were inclined to cooperate. But even they got in line and demonstrated just how coordinated they could be when it came to smiting Mephisto.” Once complete, my army had been the epitome of excellence. What’s more, we’d made allies along the way as we rode to battle. “Even those races who wouldn’t be caught dead fighting alongside humans joined to punish Mephisto. Your kin were among them, Elzard.” “Yeah…I know.” Elzard’s eyes betrayed her conflict. I was mindful of her feelings as I continued. “The very world itself rejected Mephisto’s existence. Every army united against him. All living things joined against that devil, to extinguish him. And I’d assumed that our side was sure to win. There was no way Mephisto could triumph, with everyone else against him. And I know I wasn’t the only one who believed this. However…” We didn’t win. Mephisto Yuu Phegor had met us all in battle alone. And in the end… “Mephisto had never exercised much of his power before that fight, and we learned why the hard way.” Those who survived were left with terrible trauma, and I was no exception. “Even with the entire world set against him, Mephisto didn’t lose his edge. He trampled all of us, like it was child’s play…” My little trick was the only move that had taken him at all by surprise. And Mephisto had welcomed it gleefully. “I succeeded in sealing him. But since our goal was killing him, we had to consider it a loss. I was only able to lock him away because he let it happen. Had he insisted on getting his way…” …There’d be no one left alive today. “So you’re saying you’ve got no plan, just like me?” Elzard said. I couldn’t refute that. There was no way we could win a battle against Mephisto head-on. Even the surface-level victory we’d scored against him in the past only happened because he allowed it on a whim. If the Mephisto we faced now was his usual flippant, playful self, we might stand a chance. However, he’d declared that he would take the fight seriously for the first time. He’d already demonstrated a willingness to win. “To be honest, yes, I have no real plan,” I admitted. We were insects trying to topple a dinosaur. To be blunt, our chances were grim. Still, we wouldn’t surrender. We hurled the notion into the stratosphere. “We’ve practically lost already. But we do have one card to play.” No speck of hope’s light reached us in the deep pit we had to climb out of. Still, we could try, holding on to the faith that each inch got us closer to victory. I could tell Elzard felt the same. “Gimme some specifics. What’s our move?” she asked. “We could do something like…retrieve the Armor of the Demon Lord.” Elzard ruminated on my words for a minute, then replied, “The Armor of the Demon Lord… That’s the six hundred sixty-six pieces of powerful magic equipment, yeah? I remember you wore many pieces of it the last time we duked it out.” “That’s right. One of them is called the Bangle of Devouring. That should be our first target. It was created to be used as a secret weapon against Mephisto. There’s no doubt it will be essential.” The Bangle of Devouring did exactly what it sounded like—it devoured powers. By draining the strength out of all living things around the bangle’s wielder, the wielder’s power increased without limit. Conversely, enemies grew weaker, meaning the tables could be turned on any opponent. Whoever wore the Bangle of Devouring could become invincible beyond reason. Yet even with such a powerful item, we still wouldn’t stand a chance against that devil. He was beyond unbeatable. That’s the sort of freak Mephisto Yuu Phegor was. Even if we acquired the Bangle of Devouring, we couldn’t win. Yet without it, we wouldn’t make it to the starting line. It wasn’t a requirement to win, it was the entry ticket to play. “Okay, guess we should go get this Bangle of Devouring thingy, then.” “I’d love to do that…but there’s a number of steps we must go through first.” “Steps?” “Yes. That piece of armor is so powerful that it’s been sealed heavily to prevent it from falling into wicked hands. That seal requires seven items to break. Without them, the Bangle of Devouring is useless anyway.” The Armor of the Demon Lord was built so that only I could use it fully assembled. But if someone were to tamper with the armor and change that rule, the Bangle of Devouring would become the most terrible piece of weaponry in all of history. It could turn the weakest person in existence into the mightiest. The world was doomed if the wrong person got ahold of it. That’s why I’d placed an excessive number of locks on the bangle, to prevent such a scenario from coming to pass. “I suppose that makes sense,” Elzard said with a sigh. She was annoyed, but she understood. “So? Where do we find these seven keys?” The items that released the seal on the bangle were scattered around the world and enchanted with Concealment spells. The nearest one was… “One of them is hidden in your part of the world, Elzard—the Vylamd Mountain Range.” At that, her eyes widened. “Seriously…you really are a pain in the ass,” she muttered. “Ya know, going into those mountains is utterly unpleasant. But I guess we have no choice.” After cursing under her breath, she raised a hand to activate a Teleportation spell. Unfortunately… “Tsk… He’s got a Jamming spell going.” “Hmm…is he just messing with us, or is he buying time? Regardless, if we can’t use Teleportation spells, that means we only have one other choice…” “………………………What? Stop staring, you creep.” She’d likely hit upon the same tactic I had. That would explain her obvious reluctance. “Elzard.” “There’s gotta be another way…I hope.” “Elzard.” “I mean, what’s the rush anyway?” “Elzard.” “……” “E-l-z-a-r-d.” I smiled, leaning in closer and closer until she threw back her hair and screamed, “Oh, fine! I’ll do it! Happy, ya parasite?!” Evidently, I’d managed to wear her down. “Well, let’s get to it, then!” With that, Elzard and I took our first step toward a counterattack. Dragons are recognized as one of the oldest species. They’ve existed since the dawn of creation. According to some legends, they existed even before the most ancient of times and governed over the world. Because of their history, dragons possessed huge egos. They were truly a clannish sort. They made forests, caves, and subterranean caverns their domains. They rarely ventured outside their territories, as their dispositions kept them wary of fraternizing with others. The white dragons who made the Vylamd Mountain Range their home were no exception. Still, compared to others of their kind, they were a bit more cooperative, or perhaps a bit more calculating. As a result, the white dragons of the Vylamd Mountain Range were the only dragons who’d joined us in the final battle against Mephisto. They fought side by side with us, risking their lives. Grateful for their cooperation, I granted them several privileges after the war, and I also bestowed their beloved treasures upon them. One of those treasures was the item necessary to break the seal on the Bangle of Devouring. Dragons had an abnormally high attachment to their treasures. They would defend their hoards with their lives. I’d used this quirk of theirs to my advantage and gave them the key item so they would guard it for me. “Huh… They don’t call ya the Demon Lord for nothing. That’s a really rotten thing ya did there.” Elzard’s thick voice blended with the roar of the air. She was not in human form. She’d become a giant, three-winged dragon. In her true form, she cut through the heavens with a wild magnificence. “Gee, can ya share some of your deep-seated maliciousness with me? I know they call me the Frenzied King of Dragons, but as violent as I can be, I’m a real softy on the inside.” Elzard sounded tremendously grumpy. She was probably bent out of shape because she had me riding on her back. To a proud dragon like her, there was no greater disgrace. Holding back a chuckle, I replied, “I’m sorry, but without teleportation magic, flying on you was the only rational—” “You’re sorry? So you’re saying you’re sorry that you have to stoop so low as to ride on my back, but you’re doing it because you have no choice?” “You always seem to assume the worst in people, Elzard.” “Hmph. Admit it. You hate this, right? I’m just a big lizard to you. And who’d wanna sit on a bumpy, gross lizard back?” “…I see you’re still upset about our last fight.” We’d entered an alliance of convenience, but we could hardly be called friendly. “Aaaaagh… First I have to carry a stupid human on my back, then I have to go somewhere I never wanted to return to again! Is this purgatory?” Her griping gave me pause. “You never wanted to return to the Vylamd Mountain Range?” “That’s right. What of it?” “I’m just surprised. Isn’t that your home?” Why would somebody want to avoid a place so precious? There was a sourness in Elzard’s voice as she replied, “I never enjoyed being there. I only stayed there because it was the most effective location to heal.” To heal, huh? Hearing that brought memories to the forefront of my mind. “That’s right, I heard about the time you went on a rampage and almost brought the world to its doom. Did it really take you several centuries to recover?” I said. “Technically, the wounds were from before that.” “What do you mean?” My question was met with silence. I guessed she didn’t want to talk about it, so I didn’t force the information out of her. It was a part of her past she didn’t want to dredge up. That much was obvious. Instead, I remarked, “Ah…I can see our destination.” The giant mountain peaks pierced the sky. And as I beheld the tallest of them all, I added, “I never thought I’d revisit this place with you, of all people.” That peak was the site of my last battle with Elzard. As I stared at the great mountain, awash in emotion, Elzard groused, “Hmph. Go ahead, gloat. Like I give a damn.” “Oh, no, I didn’t mean it like that… Er, Elzard, I think you should make your descent now. Our destination is the range interior, not the peak.” “Tsk! What am I, a taxi?” Despite her griping, Elzard obliged and landed in the lush greenery below. Then she returned to human form. The fragrance of earth and grass filled the verdant grove. Frowning, Elzard remarked, “Heh, the power of nature is really somethin’. There’s not a trace of what happened that day remaining.” The solemnity of the scenery lent a kind of coldness to her words. In ancient times, the Vylamd Mountain Range was home to the white dragons. Their insular society forbade visitors. I remembered the violent welcome I’d received here in my past life. Now, however, there wasn’t a single white dragon in sight. I suppose that was to be expected. The white dragons of the Vylamd Mountain Range were extinct. While bearing witness to the evidence of that fact, I said quietly, “Elzard…I heard you destroyed the white dragons who lived here.” Her silence told me everything. I didn’t know why she’d eradicated her own kind. Admittedly, I was curious…but I could never ask. After clearing my throat, I said, “They hid their treasures in mazelike dungeons. I think that’s where we’ll find what we’re looking for.” The structure in question was nearby. I used detection magic to calculate our route there, then we set out. Elzard kept quiet the entire way, but I could tell she wasn’t calm at all. Occasionally, she loosed an Attack spell, felling trees with a beam that ignited them afterward. She was clearly holding on to a lot of stress but wasn’t willing to discuss any of it. I suffered through the gloomy atmosphere all the way to our destination. The white dragons had carved the dungeon into the mountain, so it looked no different from an ordinary cavern. However, the miasma emanating from the mouth of the giant cavern was anything but commonplace. “I can see why they call it forbidden ground,” Elzard remarked. “Forbidden ground, you say?” “Yeah, this dungeon is considered sacred. No one is permitted entry. Even I haven’t seen inside.” “I think I know what that means…” “Yup. Something’s waiting for us, but I couldn’t tell you what.” “It would seem our little adventure is going to get rather intense.” Standing before the dragon-made labyrinth, I said, “Elzard, we’re going in. Are you okay?” “…Yeah.” We took our first step into the dungeon together. This place was a treasure trove for the white dragons, and it promised to be a death trap for intruders. We knew they wouldn’t pull any punches. Darkness enshrouded the way ahead. I couldn’t see a single pace before us, or even my own feet. “This darkness…doesn’t seem natural,” I remarked. The shadow inside the dungeon was probably magical. No Lamplight or Illumination spell would help here. Moreover, the darkness in this dungeon seemed to carry a weakening effect on intruders. “Any ideas on how to break this spell, Elzard?” I asked. “I already told you, I don’t know anything about this place.” There was no reason for her to lie, so I assumed that was the truth. “I suppose I’ll have to rely on my supernatural reputation, then.” Occasionally, humans were born with unexplained abilities. I was one of those people, and my unique abilities boosted my analysis and control. By tapping those talents, I inspected the magic traps in the dungeon and canceled the enfeebling substance in the shadows. That done, I activated light magic to illuminate the way. “…Overpowered as ever, I see.” “Your words humble me.” “It wasn’t a compliment, dumbass.” My shining white orb of magic light illuminated our path. Adding detection magic helped us evade any remaining traps. With that, the dungeon was as good as safe. However, neutralizing a dungeon’s quirks didn’t guarantee an easy search. There was one other challenge, perhaps the most terrifying of all. “Given the place’s spaciousness, I had a hunch, but…” I glared at the thing before my eyes and sighed quietly. A resident was the biggest thorn in an explorer’s side. The cores of naturally occurring dungeons spawned monsters. These became the guardians who attacked intruders. Compared to wild monsters, dungeon ones were more chaotic, and more powerful. However, the peskiest of all were the monsters that appeared in man-made labyrinths. A dungeon’s master could assign attributes to such creatures as they pleased. Dungeon cores had their limits, but a dungeon’s master could fill the entire place with god-tier monsters if they liked, so long as it kept within what the laws of physics allowed. That was the biggest threat we’d have to face. “Somehow, the master linked the core to memories of this place. They can manifest replicas of themselves at will.” Thinking about it, it was obvious. After all, these mountains were home to a sect of dragons, the most advanced living organisms on the planet. They were their own best guardians. That’s likely how they saw it. It certainly explained why there was a giant white dragon sitting in front of us. “Only the most powerful memories linger in a location. In keeping with that rule… Elzard, the core has reflected a memory of your rampage.” The spawned white dragon was in tatters. Its wings were shredded, its scales ripped. It resembled a dragon zombie. When confronted by the horrific sight, all I could do was frown in silence. Elzard seemed to have a special connection to the creature, however. “Long time no see, Falchion.” A smirk formed on her lips, but not the friendly sort. It was horrifying, in fact. It was the kind of smirk a wild beast might show its prey. “I’m happy to see you. Truly. Just imagine—I get to kill you twice.” What occurred next was perfectly logical. The white dragon, deeming us the enemy, prepared to strike. However, Elzard’s Attack spell was quicker. The dragon she called Falchion was then surrounded by a bunch of magic circles. Pale-blue light beams shot everywhere. There was no way for the dragon to dodge. Our enemy tried to erect a defensive shield. “Ha-ha-ha! You never learn, do you?” Just as the walls shot up, the light beams promptly destroyed them. In no time, the white dragon was torn through by countless glowing rays until nothing remained. “Even in death, you still ruin my day. Damn, you’re really somethin’.” Elzard’s tone was unbelievably cold. During our exploration, we had several white dragon encounters, and Elzard unceremoniously buried them all. Each attack was truly graceful, though. If she went all out in a frenzied rampage, the dungeon would collapse and bury us alive. And if that destroyed the core, we’d lose our chance at getting the item we came for. With all that in mind, Elzard destroyed our obstacles with the least amount of force possible. She murdered the echoes of her kin with ruthless serenity. Though her rage burned hot, the air around her was icy-cold. As I watched her calculated yet frenzied rage, I understood how she’d earned her title the Frenzied King of Dragons. And that concerned me. “Elzard…let’s take a little break here.” She didn’t so much as humor me with a glance. In fact, she was busy stepping on the head of a fellow dragon she’d ripped apart with her hands. “Ha!” she laughed. “What, you think we’re friends now? If so, you’re sorely mistaken. To me, you’re no different than our little dungeon annoyances, so you can stop making that face. Don’t look at me like that. You got a death wish, Ard Meteor?” That was a close call. I’d forgotten that Elzard’s psyche was fragile. I’d gotten my hopes up after her little run-in with Ireena, but at her core, Elzard hadn’t changed a bit. One wrong move now, and I might shatter our alliance beyond repair. Regrettably…I had very little experience communicating with someone like this. I had no idea how to start chipping away at her. If I were Lydia or Ireena…I could get her to open up for sure. While I was busy mourning the powerlessness of my own humanity… “Shit…” Whether because of the pile of dragon heads at her feet or the fact that they’d lost their original forms, Elzard spat a curse and looked up at the ceiling. “…Did they build this dungeon to taunt me?” A question came to mind, but I wasn’t sure whether to voice it. I knew that remaining silent risked upsetting her, though. I steadied my nerves and asked, “Those white dragons… Did they recognize you?” Elzard stared silently up at the ceiling for a while. Did I make the wrong move? A nervous pang shot through my stomach. Elzard replied, “Dragons look down on all other races. They accept no others. Their contempt for humans in particular runs deep. You just reproduce like mad. That doesn’t make you conquerors, ya damn apes.” A smile formed on her beautiful face. It was either in self-deprecation or in mockery of her own people. “It’s funny, really. Nobody realizes how cruel they are, not even us. We’re no different than the apes we looked down on.” After a heavy sigh, she continued down the dungeon passage. I kept a steady pace behind her, and as we walked, Elzard suddenly began to open up. “Highly intelligent life-forms are always tribal. Dragons are no different. Those who resided in this mountain range formed a community out of necessity, and dragon societies are always hierarchical.” She stopped there. Then, after a lengthy pause, Elzard added, “I was born into what you humans would call a royal family… So it’s what I was.” To be special and to be discriminated against because of it. That was the life that Elzard knew, day in and day out. “I couldn’t make a single friend. Don’t get any ideas, though. I wasn’t sad. Because I had somebody who loved me… Back then, my mother was my sole emotional support. With her in my life, I wanted for nothing else.” Elzard’s voice became a hoarse whisper. “I shouldn’t have wasted my time looking for friends.” However, she recovered only a moment later. “Oh, great. Now Zesphyria’s here.” Elzard regarded the appearance of this latest battered white dragon with a stony expression. “I should have never put my faith in you.” She lunged forward with a murderous chill in her eyes. There was emotion buried in her movements. Up until now, she’d slaughtered all her kin in a cold, calculated manner… Now she was truly enraged. Smack. Crack. Whack. Elzard engaged in a one-sided fight against the giant dragon looming over her. Scales were ripped, flesh was pounded, and bones were severed. The raw, bare-fisted violence spoke to the state of Elzard’s heart more than a thousand words could. Before long, her enemy was silent and dead. While looking at the bludgeoned corpse, Elzard spat, “So stupid…” I didn’t know who she was talking about. She took off again, her body coated with blood. We continued in silence for a while, but eventually a confession spilled from her lips. “That dragon I just killed? Well…that was the first friend I ever had.” My eyes went wide in shock. The Frenzied King of Dragons had someone she called a friend? “Well, we weren’t really friends.” “What…do you mean?” “Ha! I think you can deduce the rest. You lived as royalty, too, once, didn’t you?” “…So that was an insurgent who pretended to be a friend.” I received a quiet nod in response. Elzard’s expression remained stoic. I’m certain her feelings were beyond words. “The fate of being royalty…I know it well,” I said. “Yeah. You said it. I shouldn’t have trusted anyone. But—” “But it was terrible to be so alone.” We were alike. Elzard and I had similar lived experiences. “I was unusual and isolated…and that was why I clung so desperately to whoever loved me. But if you cling too tight, you become codependent. You can’t tell where you end and the other person begins. Then the loneliness worsens.” With Elzard, it was her mother. With me, it was Olivia. We each had a person we depended on desperately. It soothed our loneliness for a while, but as we came to take their existences and feelings for granted, the isolation tormented us constantly. “It could have been anyone, as long as they loved me just like my mother and freed me from this pain. Really, it could have been anyone.” And that “anyone” was the dragon she’d just slain. Perhaps that’s why she’d used brute force this time, instead of magic. “It was special… My first friendship I ever had was special, ya know…?” “I understand,” I answered. “And it’s because it was special.” “Yeah. Because it was special—” “When you were betrayed, your anger surpassed expression.” Elzard smiled vaguely. Undoubtedly, she wasn’t happy to have found someone who comprehended. If anything, it was the opposite. We understood each other’s pain. Maybe that’s why Elzard hated her own kind—she saw herself in them. “Destroy the royal family and claim one of the empty thrones with the rest of some insurrectionist family. That’s why my friend got close to me. And when I collapsed in confusion and sorrow, you wanna know what my friend said to me? ‘Who could ever love an abomination like you?’” Elzard surely lost everything that day. “My failing to drop dead from the poison was that insurrectionist family’s greatest failure. I managed to escape and run to my mother. But…I was too late. By the time I got there, she was already gone.” Why had Elzard exterminated her kin? I knew it wasn’t what she wanted. The anguish in her voice revealed the truth in her heart. “I was really annoyed back then. I even tried to commit suicide… But it didn’t work. My body is just too sturdy. I couldn’t even kill myself… Was it the same for you, Ard Meteor?” “Yes, I’m not proud of it, but I had the exact same experience.” That’s why I’d chosen reincarnation over suicide. Honestly, it had been my only choice. No matter how hard I’d wished for it, I couldn’t attain death’s salvation. Upon realizing this, I’d decided to give myself a full reset. If I became somebody else, I could live a different life. It had been my wish that this new life might change my despair into hope. Elzard must have lacked the grit to go through with that. “I plunged into a deep sleep, praying I’d never wake up. But that didn’t work. Of course it didn’t. It only healed my injuries. Right after I woke up, I found myself in the middle of a nightmare.” Elzard paused to take a breath before continuing. What occurred after she awoke was evidently more traumatic than slaying her own kind. Her story was fragmented to protect herself from recalling the whole experience. “See, I had somebody guarding me while I slept, the queen of a fallen kingdom. And this is what she told me: ‘I’ll give you my soul if you steal my kingdom back for me.’ Then… Well, stuff happened. And I made my second friend. My kin are probably laughing in hell right now. A dragon developing feelings for a human. It was unheard of.” I saw where Elzard’s tale was going. Her abnormal relationship broke her heart for a second time. “Was that the origin of your hatred for the world?” I asked. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t answer. Elzard just resumed walking, silent and stoic. Memories of my fight with her materialized in my mind. At the time, that fiercely negative aura I’d sensed from her was incomprehensible. But now that I knew the truth, everything made sense. Two betrayals. Two devastations. She’d loved them so earnestly, and that made the pain horrific. Elzard’s wounds were so deep that burning the entire world to ash wouldn’t cure them. “But in spite of it all, you still…” Before I could finish my thought, we arrived at the heart of the dungeon. Elzard pushed the great gate with majestic carvings open with one hand. Beyond lay a spacious chamber. A lone woman waited for us there. Her beautiful, long white hair cascaded to the ground. Her skin, speckled here and there with scales, shone like porcelain. The pure white dress hugging her slight frame was identical to Elzard’s, as though their garments were twins. Upon a closer glance, this woman’s beauty was also identical to Elzard’s. “This is so vicious that I have to wonder if this dungeon is sentient.” The sorrow on Elzard’s face revealed the identity of the woman standing across from us—the final guardian the dungeon core had built from the memories lingering here. “Never thought this was how we’d meet again, Mom.” Vicious. I couldn’t think of a more apt word to describe this situation than the one Elzard had used. The woman she’d loved with all her heart, the one she lost, the one more precious than life itself stood there. I could only guess how Elzard felt upon seeing this. “Ah—ah—aah…aaaaah…” A strange moan issued from the guardian’s mouth. There was no emotion in her eyes. There were no traces of joy upon seeing her daughter. That was to be expected. That thing was nothing more than a monster who’d taken the form of Elzard’s mother. And I’m sure Elzard knew that. “Ard Meteor…” Elzard’s voice was the manifestation of budding defeat. “I…I can’t do it.” Her feeble words echoed in my mind. They were the cracking of a fissure. Our enemy didn’t spare a thought for Elzard’s state of mind, though. The guardian existed for the sole purpose of fulfilling its duty. “Ah—ah—aah…AAAAAAAAH!!!” Magic circles appeared around the guardian following her shrill, metallic cry. The geometric patterns shimmering with gold were identical to Elzard’s. She must have learned all her magic from her mother at an early age. Even an outsider like me got emotional at the sight. No wonder this was too much for Elzard to bear. Giant beams of light shot from the magic circles to kill Elzard, yet she didn’t budge. She gritted her teeth. She wanted to move, but her heart wasn’t with her. Eventually, her survival instinct kicked in. As I deflected the beams of light, Elzard erected a hemispherical shield, protecting herself from the radiant death surging toward her. However, the mother of the Frenzied King of Dragons was no pushover. Elzard’s shield was so sturdy that even I couldn’t break it easily. Yet our opponent’s light beams cut through it like butter and pierced into Elzard. “Augh!” With a whimper, Elzard collapsed. The light beams had disintegrated over half of her body. Only her head and part of her torso remained. She slammed onto the stone floor, spurting bright red blood. This would’ve been fatal for a normal human, but a dragon’s immortality was nothing to underestimate. Her missing body parts regenerated at lightning speed. On the surface, it was two against one. We should’ve had the advantage, but reality was different. Elzard had warned me that she was in no condition to fight, and I agreed. At present, she was merely deadweight. Any advantages to be gained from an ally were moot now. If anything, her being here would distract me. “Guess this’ll have to be a short showdown.” I activated my Original. My trump card would end the battle in a single breath. It was the only way. Steeling myself, I took a breath to begin my Original chant. But before I could… “KHEEEEEEEEEEE!!!” …an eerie shriek shot out of the guardian’s mouth. That would usually signal a second attack, but not this time. It was a scream to stop my attack and avoid the worst-case scenario. “Is this…?” Before my very eyes, a giant magic circle formed on the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. I guessed its purpose on instinct. “It’s a combination of Geass magic and causality manipulation!” The caster would manipulate a specified area, overwrite the laws of causality, and force those new rules onto an opponent. Very few could cast a high-caliber spell like this. What’s more, to be able to manage it in such a short period without a special ritual… Her magic might have rivaled Mephisto’s. “I’d wondered why Elzard’s mother was chosen as the guardian over Elzard herself.” My opponent’s spell was already activated. It was too late to panic. As icy sweat ran down my skin, I calmed myself and accepted my fate. “A guardian manifested from the land’s memories always takes the form of the mightiest creature around.” Simply put, Elzard’s mother was powerful, far more so than the Frenzied King of Dragons. “KHEEE-YAAAAAAAAAA!!!” With a howling shriek, the guardian sprinted forward. She was fast. Before I knew it, she was upon me, fists raised. “Tsk!” I dodged her, but only barely. As I evaded, I tried speaking the chant. “Ngh! I thought so…” The sensation was gone; that special feeling I always experienced before using an Original had completely vanished. That was the purpose of that spell. Elzard’s mother could seal Originals. And it didn’t stop there. “It’s not just my Original…it’s my powers, too!” I exclaimed, still doing my best to dodge. The supernatural powers I’d been born with—analysis and control—I’d raised them up to create an ultimate attack that was my Original. But now, I’d been stripped of my right to invoke it. This had to be what a wingless bird felt like. “I haven’t known this sensation in a while! It’s so infuriating!” This wasn’t the first time this had happened to me. Twice in my past life, I’d found myself in this predicament. Overcoming those challenges was why I stood here today. However, my past experiences wouldn’t provide me with the hint I needed to escape this. I’d survived those previous challenges because I’d had a powerful ally with me. The first time, it was Olivia, and it was Lydia during the second. Without them, I would’ve met my end. Technically, I did have an ally, but she was very different from the ones I’d had in the past. Elzard was in the middle of regenerating. It’s too late. She’s healing too slowly. It was surely a reflection of her psyche. She had no will to fight. She’d surrendered to her past, abandoning all hope. And seeing her like this, I felt… “Nn—ga—aaaaaah!!!” The guardian’s howl broke my thoughts. Her limbs flailed faster than before. Evading was difficult now. “Nng!” Her movements were too quick to see. I gritted my teeth and strengthened my body with magic, but before my spell took effect, a terrifying attack connected with my face. The blow could shatter skin, bone, and even the soul. I felt myself float as the world turned upside down. By the time I realized my senses were scrambled, my body had already slammed against the wall. “That was…no ordinary…attack!” Dragons employed a unique magic technique. Elzard’s mother had either used that, or she possessed some other ability that altered my perception. I needed to heal myself—starting with my concussion. I tried magic but found I couldn’t work the spell. Luckily for me, my opponent didn’t come in for another attack. But only because she’d shifted her target. “El…zard…” The guardian lunged toward the freshly regenerated girl. “Eep…!” Elzard squeaked softly. She was the spitting image of a frightened child. There was not a trace of the Frenzied King of Dragons’ pride left in her. “Mom…!” From the desperation in her voice, it was clear she was praying for a miracle. Maybe she hoped the guardian would become self-aware and act like her actual mother. Praying for such an impossible development was all Elzard could manage anymore. Sadly, such a plot twist was never to be. “Khee-YAAAAAAAAAH!!!” The guardian threw a punch as she shrieked. Elzard’s crouched position would do little to block it. Without a moment’s hesitation, the guardian sank her fist into Elzard’s stomach. “Nga—ahh!” Elzard had managed a Shield spell on reflex. The guardian’s fist didn’t pierce through her gut, but it did send her flying against the wall as it had done to me. The impact formed cracks in the stone. “AAAAH!!!” Evidently determined to finish off the weakened Elzard, the guardian kicked off the ground, flying toward her. It was only an attempt to take down an easy opponent. There was no thought of her child at all. But that wasn’t what Elzard saw. “Mom…why…?!” It was all one-sided. Elzard simply took every hit. The dull beating sounds rang out, unrelenting. “Ngh—Ngah…!” Elzard crouched, clutched her head, and took the abuse. She looked just like a defenseless little child. I felt sorry for her, but I was also very angry. “How can you…do that to her?!” The damage from that last attack was finally starting to dissipate. I didn’t know if I’d be able to chant the spell I’d struggled with earlier, but before I healed my wounds… “Spear Lightning!” …I performed a special Remote-Cast. A magic circle formed directly beside the guardian, shooting lightning at her. The surprise attack should have hit her, yet it didn’t even graze her skin. With her quick reflexes, the guardian easily dodged my magic. Fortunately… “That was all part of the plan!” I launched a barrage of elemental strikes at supersonic speed—over one thousand per second. Swallowed by the intense pummeling storm of attacks, my opponent fell into defense without a chance to retaliate. However, none of my direct hits caused any significant damage. When you favored speed, your hits were weaker by nature. All my effort was hardly more than a distraction. Still, that was good enough for me. I maintained the supersonic volley of magic while hardening my body. Once ready, I flew into the eye of the storm with a battle cry. This was the perfect self-sacrificial attack. I dived headfirst into the vortex I’d created. My opponent hadn’t anticipated this. She had no time to react as I zoomed toward her. Although I was wounded by my own magic as I flew… “My apologies, ma’am.” …I pounded my clenched fist into her face. The guardian flew back hard. I let out a sigh as I watched her go. “Finally, a direct hit…but there’s no way it was fatal.” She was just too sturdy. Without my Original, I couldn’t cut through the guardian’s body. “There’s only one way to kill her…,” I muttered, dispelling my elemental attacks at last. In their place, I activated a Sealing spell right as the guardian landed. Geometric patterns opened around her, and a moment later her body was trapped in a shining orb. That’ll buy us a little time. I turned my focus from my opponent and back to Elzard. She was crouched, clutching her head and trembling all over. Even with her unique healing abilities, the wounds in her heart remained. I took a step toward her and said, “This brings memories of our first fight back. What a terrible look for you, Elzard.” I paused a beat, my lips twisting into a mocking smile. “That’s how I would’ve thought back then. But now…” As she slowly lifted her head, I looked down at her, both literally and figuratively, and I hurled the blunt words at her. “Raw power’s all you’ve got, you weak-minded little shit. Mentally, you’re still an infant. You haven’t matured a bit. How can you still be so pathetic after centuries? If I were you, I’d give up on life.” Elzard reacted with a blank stare…then a burning rage. She ground her teeth and glared at me. My mocking smile softened. I knew it. Instant results. Elzard and I were cut from the same cloth. That’s why I knew better than anyone what she needed to get back on her feet. “You’re a grown woman, and you’re attached to your mommy? Frenzied King of Dragons, my ass. More like Babied King.” She needed a kick in the butt, not kindness. She needed contempt, not compassion. She needed the same sort of words and actions she’d tossed my way to get me going again. “Mmf…!” Her anger visibly rose to fuming as she stared at me. My grin deepened at the sight. “There’s an emotion everyone holds on to when they face hardship, and I believe it’s anger. And working under this belief…Elzard, you still have just enough impetus to push yourself forward.” Realizing the truth in my words, she frowned and said, “I really do despise you.” There was a tangible energy behind the words she spat. I turned to her and answered with my sincere feelings. “You know, I think I might come to like you.” “Huh?” Elzard’s expression all but asked, What the hell’re you saying, you creep? Maintaining my grin, I added, “The future you thought wasn’t even slightly possible when we first fought… Well, maybe it has a chance. The belief we both took for granted, that we could never be friends… A bud of courage took root inside me the moment that was refuted, pushing me to keep going.” To me, Elzard used to be nothing but a villain who’d kidnapped Ireena. I never imagined I could ever be friendly with her. But now… “Elzard. I’ve been angry with you, but I’ve never hated you. In fact, I felt we shared a kinship. All along, a part of me always wanted to be friends… But I convinced myself that would never happen, so I never bothered to imagine you in my life.” Things were different now, though. I beseeched her with my gaze as I went on. “I want to build a future with you. But what I want even more than that…is to see what you can build with others, starting with Ireena. That’s my earnest wish.” Come on, you don’t want to just give up here and now, do you? As my unspoken words hung in the air, Elzard’s lips trembled for a moment. And then… “Would you laugh at me…if I said I wanted to make a hundred friends?” “No. If anything, it would make me feel closer to you. I have the same dream, after all.” “My feud with Ireena…” “Of course. I’ll help you patch things up with her.” “…If you break your promise, I’ll kill you, okay?” “Be my guest. I’d never—we would never betray you.” I offered the same treatment she had offered me a little while ago. I extended my hand to her. “I’m not here just to get you back on your feet. I’m here to help you leave the nest and make some friends, too… Is there something you’d like to say to me?” I teased. Elzard frowned hard at me and answered, “Thanks…is something I’ll never say to you, dumbass.” Then she smiled. Not the warlike grin of earlier, but a purehearted girl’s smile. Then Elzard gripped my hand, all faintheartedness gone with the wind. I could feel the strong will to move forward pumping through her thin, white hand clasped in mine. “All right, let’s win this fight together, Elzard.” “…Just this once, I’ll let you take the lead, Ard Meteor.” As we stood side by side, Elzard and I took in the scene before us. The magic orb containing the guardian was starting to crack. “Nn—gah—AAAAAAAAAAH!” Our imprisoned enemy burst free. “Elzard, I don’t have the power to so much as scratch her right now.” “Yeah, I know. That’s where I come in.” No sooner had Elzard replied than she summoned a sword. It was longer than she was tall and made of dragon bone. A single touch from the blade would erase one’s body, the very concept of it. It could bury an enemy in just one strike. The weapon in Elzard’s grip would slice through the guardian’s hard skin. But only if Elzard wished for it, of course. I had no doubts about that, though. “She’s coming.” “Yeah, I know.” We assumed our battle stances, glaring at the enemy. “Gohh—GAAAAAAH!!!” We dodged the enormous beam of light. The guardian didn’t have the ability to communicate, but her battle instincts were sharp. She knew to avoid melee combat. She was throwing ranged attacks to keep us away as she ran around. “Elzard, I’ll open a path for you.” “Okay…” We exchanged glances, communicating silently. It was too much information to relay to an ordinary partner, but this was the Frenzied King of Dragons. One look was more than enough for her to grasp the entirety of my thoughts. Elzard took a step back, appraising which way I was moving. Formally, it was now a one-on-one fight. The guardian kept a wary eye on Elzard while concentrating attacks on me. “GREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!” Her shining rays flew at random. It was a tired old trick, but obnoxiously effective regardless. “I’m stuck on evasive action…” The guardian wasn’t giving me an opening for even the tiniest counterattack. She was attempting to crush me with sheer force. Ironically, that turned out to be my biggest asset in getting Elzard closer to her. “Another seven seconds should do it…” As I deflected the beams with a shield, my attention shifted to the ceiling. It was held up with giant pillars of stone. All this time, I’d been using reflection magic to aim the guardian’s rays to the bottoms of those pillars. Dungeons could be reinforced with magic, but they weren’t indestructible. And in the very next moment, as if to prove my point, one of the pillars crumbled from a light beam and fell. The guardian was standing beneath it. “MMMFFF?!” Undoubtedly, the guardian hadn’t expected this. Her eyes went wide. And then, out of necessity, her attacks stopped. “The rest is yours, Elzard.” She instantly burst from her held position behind me. The enemy would barely give us a moment of stillness, but that was more than enough time for a warrior whose very name was legend. By the time the guardian smashed the falling pillar away, Elzard was on her. “Ryaaah!!!” With a mighty roar, the dragon bone blade danced through the air. There was no escape. Even if the guardian blocked it, that sword would slice through her, shield and all. Trumpets of victory sounded in my head. Victory is ours. Or so I thought. “Rrgaaah!” the guardian howled. She couldn’t dodge the blade or block it, so she went with the third choice. She summoned her own dragon bone blade. “Khee-yah!” The guardian savagely swung the sword. It rushed for Elzard twice as fast. She proved unable to evade, and the weapon pierced the Frenzied King of Dragons’ side. Everything that had led to this had likely been a feint. The guardian had acted surprised at the crumbling pillar to lower our guards. Her tactic had won her the battle. Or so she thought. “This is why you lose.” As I made my declaration, the corpse falling before the guardian split in two and vanished. “No need to hesitate anymore,” a voice boomed from behind the guardian. It was Elzard, dragon bone blade in hand. “Mmmfff?!” This time, the guardian’s astonishment was genuine. It had taken her this long to notice that her cards were on the table. I’d seen through the guardian’s little plan. The falling pillar, Elzard’s dashing in to attack—all of it was a farce to expose a certain truth. While the guardian was distracted, I’d produced a clone of Elzard, hid the real one with concealment magic, and sent her behind our opponent. Then, when the double was destroyed and the guardian thought she’d won, the truth would be revealed. “You aren’t her mother.” If the guardian had been a perfect replica of Elzard’s mother, if she were identical in both mind and body, she would have felt something was wrong after felling Elzard’s clone. She would have known her own child wouldn’t die so easily. Yet the guardian didn’t show a sign of caution. That was the proof we needed. She was nothing but a soulless shell. A mere puppet with a replicated intellect and arsenal. And now that Elzard knew that, she had no hesitation. “GREEE—!” “Too slow.” Before the guardian could turn and swing her blade, Elzard ended the fight. Her blade sank cleanly into the guardian’s neck, severing her head. Perhaps Elzard gave the guardian a painless death out of love for her mother. She couldn’t hurt someone who looked like her, even if it was just a hollow copy. “Excellently done, Elzard.” I celebrated her victories, both external and personal, with applause. “…Hmph.” Elzard turned away in a huff. Despite her cold demeanor, her cheeks were faintly pink. “If you hadn’t been here, that would’ve been a harder battle to win,” she mumbled quietly and meekly. “So that’s why I, um……………………………………don’t need to…thank you.” The last bit was barely audible, but I heard her loud and clear. And Elzard knew it. That’s why she bit her lip and shyly hung her head. I smirked at this unexpected side of the Frenzied King of Dragons and said, “You really lack sincerity.” “…Huh?” “When you thank a person, you’re supposed to smile, look into their eyes, and speak loud and clear. Why don’t you try applying these three principles and give it another go?” “…Don’t push it, dung beetle. I’d never stoop so low as to thank a human.” “I doubt Ireena would like anyone who isn’t sincere.” “Hmmf!” “To clarify, you may be beautiful, but you’ve got a hideous personality. Until you fix that, you’ll never come close to getting a hundred friends.” “Mmmmf!” Elzard growled, glaring at me. Her gaze was so murderous that an ordinary person would’ve fainted, but it had no effect on me. “No death glares to people who annoy you, either. That’s when you have to try extra hard to be compassionate and—” “Shut it, moron! See if I ever listen to you again, jackass!” As she blushed and screamed at me, I sighed back at her. Well…we’re in the middle of a crisis right now. We’ll have to fix Elzard’s personality later. “Okay, now that the guardian is taken care of—” I was about to finish with, “Let’s get that item,” but before I could… “Demise, answer my call.” The short chant echoed from somewhere. Elzard and I both jumped away on reflex. A moment later, ebony flames burned where we’d stood. “Well…there’s a face I recognize,” Elzard spat bitterly. I doubted the person in question heard her. “I came here to put an end to your little resistance, and to your lives.” Declaring so, his eyes empty, was the man who was once my subordinate and my sworn enemy. Alvarto Egzex stood in our way.