Chapter 330 : Reinforcements
Chapter 330: Reinforcements
["It's finally quieted down a little."]
He let out a long breath through his nostrils and sighed in relief.
Where his gaze rested, a pitch-black regular octahedron slowly rotated in place.
Dragon Speech Magic, [Black Prison (黑獄)].
It was a barrier-type spell created by applying a Dragon's ability to traverse dimensions, temporarily imprisoning its target.
And inside it...
Was none other than Aaron Stingray, who had been buzzing around like a pesky insect only moments ago.
'I never imagined I'd have to use something like this.'
The language used by Dragons, Dragon Speech, was extraordinarily special and powerful. Simply speaking it consumed an enormous amount of mana.
Naturally, Dragon Speech Magic, which applied various effects through it, demanded even more. Among those spells, those involving dimensions and space were especially taxing on both mind and body.
'I'm a little tired...'
He had already been forced to expend his strength in many ways over the past few days.
Starting with the Stingray Group shareholders' meeting.
Immediately followed by the Monster Wave.
Then the battles afterward.
And finally...
That mysterious syringe.
His fatigue had already accumulated before using [Black Prison], so even a Dragon's powerful body couldn't help but feel exhausted.
'Hm...'
The Dragon of the Sky silently stared at the Black Prison.
Even if Aaron was the strongest among humans, perhaps using [Black Prison] against someone who was ultimately no more than an insect had been excessive.
Of course, this wasn't because he pitied Aaron.
It was simply a matter of pride as a Dragon.
Among Dragonkind, who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Divine Race, he possessed power ranking among the very highest.
The fact that he had failed to suppress a mere mortal without resorting to such a spell...
Was somewhat humiliating.
Yet at the same time, he knew there had been no other choice.
Aaron's movements had become increasingly faster.
Increasingly sharper.
Only a little...
Very little...
But he had begun radiating an unmistakable sense of danger.
That was why he had used Black Prison.
Trying to conserve his strength now might only have created an even greater nuisance later.
Better to become a little tired now and end everything for certain.
'...Now that it's over, it's time to clean up.'
The greatest headache had been resolved.
Yet thinking about the aftermath made his head ache all over again.
He would have to return to his spiritual projection state, infiltrate humanity's consciousness, rebuild the network, erase the memories of those who had witnessed his true form, purify their minds...
And that wasn't all.
He also had to rebuild the walls destroyed by the Monster Wave, restore the devastated surroundings, and repair the tool called the "Stingray Group" that Drake Stingray had ruined...
Even he, who considered himself the most diligent among Dragons, found himself clicking his tongue at the mountain of tedious work awaiting him.
Fortunately, Dragonkind lived lives approaching eternity.
Had he been an ordinary mortal instead, he might have spent nearly half his lifetime on restoration work alone.
Yes.
It truly was an incredible nuisance.
Even so, he had absolutely no intention of giving up.
As he had told Aaron, this city was a vast farm he had cultivated over the course of two hundred years.
No farmer would abandon his entire farm simply because the animals penned inside damaged a few fences and dared rebel against their master.
To Dragons, beings capable of traversing dimensions...
The human race of this world was exceptionally valuable livestock.
The power contained within their souls was so great that it could shake the very flow of the River of Origin and even influence worlds beyond this dimension.
The reason someone like himself—who had possessed no exceptional talent compared to his own kin—had grown strong enough to rule not only this planet but the neighboring dimensions as well...
Was all thanks to them.
The power that flowed into him by offering the souls of this city's humans as sacrifices was far too sweet to ever relinquish.
—This is my world.
Not yours.
Aaron's declaration suddenly resurfaced in his mind.
The Dragon of the Sky sneered inwardly.
'No.
This is my world.'
It was my farm.
The nest I built.
Someday...
He would turn this entire planet into one enormous farm.
Then, using the power gathered there, he would seize even the distant dimensional Branches beyond this one.
And truthfully...
That wouldn't necessarily be a bad outcome for humanity either.
For mortals, the highest priority of any species was reproduction.
As they were consumed in pursuit of his ambition, humanity would naturally spread its roots into even wider dimensions and prosper.
'...Come to think of it.'
The Dragon of the Sky looked once more toward the Black Prison confining Aaron.
'He called himself a Transmigrator...'
A soul that had come from another world.
At first, he had simply assumed Aaron was some kind of undead like a Ghost or Spirit.
But judging from Aaron's behavior and manner of speaking...
He clearly belonged to something entirely different.
'Could it be...
...that humans exist in worlds other than this one...?'
Interesting.
Perhaps there existed worlds with far more livestock than this one, which had already been destroyed by the [Mysteries].
If only he could find such a place, it would be far faster than waiting for this city's population to increase naturally...
[You fool.]
[......!]
Just as he was indulging in those pleasant fantasies...
Something suddenly shot past him.
It streaked through the air diagonally before sliding across the ground and landing.
[...You.]
[Grrrrrrrrrr...!]
Where the Dragon of the Sky looked...
Stood a blue-scaled Dragon.
Judging by its size, it had only recently reached adulthood.
There was something strangely familiar about it.
Looking more closely, he finally realized it was Dwyndrog, the Dragon who had allied himself with Aaron.
The creature held Black Prison firmly between its jaws.
Apparently...
It had come to rescue Aaron.
["You've appeared despite knowing the danger."]
Since his opponent was also a Dragon, the Dragon of the Sky spoke in Dragon Speech.
["How foolish.
Had you fled while my attention was elsewhere, you might have preserved your life."]
["If I were that kind of Dragon, I would never have come to this city in the first place."]
Dwyndrog answered with a growl in Dragon Speech.
The Dragon of the Sky scoffed.
["And what exactly do you think will change?
Surely you don't believe your strength alone can break that.
Even if you somehow succeed...
I'll simply imprison him again."]
["Your bluff won't work.
I know you've already consumed a considerable amount of power.
I came because I judged this battle to be winnable."]
["Do you covet my farm as well?"]
["A farm?
I couldn't care less about that.
I'm merely searching for a way to break through the dimensional path you've blocked and return home."]
["Return?"]
The unexpected answer made the Dragon of the Sky hesitate.
He carefully observed his opponent...
Then suddenly realized something.
The soul composing Dwyndrog was fundamentally different from that of an ordinary Dragon.
["That's right.
You were a Transmigrator as well.
Originally a human...
...who stole the body of one of your own kind!"]
The Dragon of the Sky's reptilian eyes gleamed with greed.
["Excellent.
So if I capture you, I'll discover the path leading to another Branch filled with humans?"]
["...What?"]
["Submit quietly."]
Countless magical formations appeared across the heavens.
Dwyndrog likewise planted all four feet firmly upon the ground before releasing his mana toward the sky.
Thousands...
Tens of thousands...
Of magic circles filled the sky.
Ancient destructive magic erupted from both sides and collided head-on.
KWAAAAAAAAAA-!
A deafening explosion echoed across the battlefield.
Blinding light flooded everything.
The resulting shockwave toppled nearby skyscrapers.
For a brief instant, the two forces seemed evenly matched.
But only briefly.
Dwyndrog fell behind in both the number and power of his spells.
Unable to withstand them, he was forced to evade.
["Ghk!"]
["Where do you think you're going?"]
As Dwyndrog beat his wings and took to the sky, another overwhelming barrage of magic pursued him.
Swiftly dodging the attacks, he transferred the Black Prison from his jaws into his claws.
["Damn it!
This thing's ridiculously tough!"]
Grasping the Black Prison with both claws, he drew in a deep breath.
Then...
He exhaled with all his strength.
The air within his maw combined with mana and Dragon Oil, transforming into a Dragon Breath capable of melting even steel.
KWAAAAAAAAAH!
Dragon Breath engulfed the Black Prison.
The surrounding air grew dangerously hot from the breath released while flying.
Fires erupted throughout the area.
Only then...
Did tiny cracks finally begin spreading across the Black Prison that even a Dragon's bite couldn't shatter.
["Got it!"]
His celebration lasted only an instant.
A single beam of light pierced through his wing membrane.
One of the countless spells fired by the Dragon of the Sky had struck him while his attention was elsewhere.
["Ghk!?"]
Dwyndrog instantly lost his balance and began falling.
Quickly constructing healing magic in midair, he cast it upon himself and barely managed to recover before hitting the ground, soaring into the sky once again.
["Damn you humans!
We're both Dragons, so why aren't you attacking that bastard!?
You all had no problem making my life miserable earlier!"]
Truthfully...
Even if humans incapable of leaving so much as a scratch on Dwyndrog himself arrived with weapons, the battle wouldn't change.
He was merely venting his frustration at them.
In the end...
The only being who might possibly be of any help in this situation...
Was Aaron Stingray, trapped inside the Black Prison.
Once again, Dwyndrog desperately dodged the relentless bombardment while trying with all his might to shatter the Black Prison.
["Wake up already, you idiot!"]
Perhaps his desperate plea reached it.
After bathing the Black Prison in Dragon Breath several more times...
It finally shattered into countless fragments.
Aaron, who had been imprisoned inside, was finally freed.
However—
["Snap out of it and help me already!"]
Even after the Black Prison was destroyed...
Aaron still didn't open his eyes.
Despite Dwyndrog's desperate cries...
Aaron merely hung limply, swaying like a doll in his grasp.
["Damn it...!"]
In the end, Dwyndrog once again cast healing magic while airborne.
The problem was Aaron's overwhelming magic resistance.
There was a high chance that even healing magic wouldn't work properly.
Sure enough...
Despite barely completing the spell and casting it upon him...
Aaron showed no sign whatsoever of waking.
["Do I need something stronger!?
Fine!
Don't blame me if your body falls apart!"]
Dwyndrog consumed an enormous amount of mana, beginning the construction of a complex spell combining healing magic with numerous enhancement spells.
The spell structure was so intricate and sophisticated that the neural circuits of any mediocre mage or witch attempting it would burn out almost instantly.
Yet Dwyndrog continued constructing it while simultaneously dodging the Dragon of the Sky's bombardment.
["These insects are becoming increasingly troublesome."]
The Dragon of the Sky growled irritably.
He couldn't use anything too powerful for fear of burning down the whole house just to kill a few fleas.
Yet allowing them to continue unchecked only caused more damage to the city.
In the end...
He shut his eyes and decided to accept the collateral damage.
["Ultimagnus Exterminum."]
At that moment.
A gigantic magic circle large enough to cover an entire Sector appeared upon the ground.
From within it...
Massive shadow tentacles writhed upward, completely blocking Dwyndrog's path.
["Ghk!?"]
Dwyndrog immediately changed direction.
Yet the shadows pursued him relentlessly without the slightest delay.
Already forced to concentrate on maintaining his complex spell, evading them became even more difficult.
Even so...
He continued carving the spell with everything he had.
An overwhelming amount of information was engraved into the magic formation through his mana.
At last...
It neared completion.
["If this doesn't wake you up, I'll kill you first— Guh!?"]
At that very moment...
One of the shadow tentacles seized his wing.
Dwyndrog struggled against it with overwhelming force and continued flying.
But his speed inevitably slowed.
["Damn it!"]
The instant he cursed Aaron in frustration...
The shadow tentacle restraining him suddenly exploded and fell away.
["Hm!?"]
What was that?
Startled, he turned toward the direction the attack had come from.
Dozens of kilometers away...
A female student he had never seen before stood atop a building.
Attached to the end of one of her arms was an abnormally enormous artillery cannon.
Before her eyes floated countless translucent holographic augmented reality UI windows.
["That's...!?"]
He had never seen her face before.
Yet as someone who had once been a Reader...
Her distinct features immediately revealed her identity.
Reina Alton.
["Why is she...!?"]
She wasn't alone.
A transparent energy barrier he had seen once before spread across the sky, knocking away the shadow tentacles pursuing him.
Elsewhere...
A gigantic sandstorm suddenly erupted, concealing them from sight.
In another direction...
A strange monk charged toward the Dragon of the Sky while screaming at the top of his lungs.
At the same time...
The wall separating Sectors A and B suddenly rose, turning its gun emplacements toward the battlefield.
Helicopters...
Fighter aircraft...
And countless war machines bearing the insignias of various corporations appeared from nowhere, bombarding the Dragon of the Sky.
BOOM! KWAAAAAH! KABOOOOOM!
Naturally...
Attacks of that level couldn't leave so much as a scratch upon the Dragon of the Sky's scales.
But...
They succeeded in diverting its attention for a brief moment.
["You creatures don't even recognize your own master...!"]
The Dragon of the Sky roared.
Seeing that...
Dwyndrog found himself momentarily stunned.
'What suddenly happened?
Why are the humans...?'
Just then—
Clunk!
Dwyndrog felt something metallic climb onto his back.
Who could possibly mount his back while he was flying at this speed?
Startled, he turned his head...
And immediately recognized who it was.
There was no way he couldn't.
Snow-white hair.
Eyes like precious jewels.
There was only one female student in this city with such striking features.
Airi Alicevale.
She had entered the battle.