Chapter 10: CH 10

The Dragon, after being on the receiving end of those two beams of light, finally took notice. Towards those two girls, he directed his hostility.

Now aware of them, he looked at them with each of those glaring eyes. These weak and fragile creatures must have lost their minds if they think to challenge him, who could end their feeble existence with a single swing of his tail or swipe of his claws.

The Dragon truly did not understand at all.

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“—!”

A roar that makes us cover our ears sounds out. Hearing such a thing at close range could easily burst eardrums and ruin your hearing. That’s why I immediately used a new magic that prevented all of those generated sound waves.

This is really dangerous.

A monster that only needs to use its voice to deal real damage to humans. It’s just too strong. But, at least I can prevent that roar from doing any damage.

I quickly approached the Dragon again and unleashed light magic again at an extremely close range. No matter what I do, though, those scales block my strikes.

(This is tough.)

The Dragon is treating us like annoying insects, but it still hasn’t directed its full strength at us. Since it doesn’t seem to be seriously trying to kill us yet, it’s not too hard to avoid these swipes.

“Veena-sama! My magic isn’t effective at all!”

“Seems so. These impossibly hard scales in addition to immortality… Just how was it that human beings defeated and sealed this monster?”

“There has to be some way.”

As we fly, we take turns between using offensive magic and talking.

“If this that wasn’t enough, how will you feel about this I wonder!?”

I summoned a construct of magical energy with six points. As a beam forms in the center, it draws power from the 6 different points of energy, so as to shoot even faster and stronger than before.

“Bind!”

As Yua realized what I was doing, she cast her own “Restriction Magic”. Pillars of light shot up from the earth to wrap around the neck and arms of the Dragon, rendering it immobile. Of course, Yua knows that such magic could only restrain the monster for an instant. But that brought me just enough time to finish my spell.

“Eat your fill!”

With all my might, I swing my outstretched arm downward. As soon as I did, the magical energy behind me scattered into six different beams and flew past my back. Leaving a burning trail through the sky, they impacted at high speed into the Dragon and engulfed it in explosion and flame.

Black smoke plumes from the site of the explosion. Any ordinary monster would have perished instantly. But the monster before us was anything but ordinary.

“Yua, remember to recover your magical energy.”

“I understand.”

Whilst taking the lull as an opportunity to regenerate my own magical energy, I think of the next hand to play. And, as expected, the Dragon emerged from that black smoke. I don’t think there’s any means at our disposal that can defeat it. But, all the same…

“To think it would be completely unscathed… I was expecting to at least get rid of one of those scales.”

“True… Those scales are just foul play.”

“Well, that’s true. But, we have no choice, we have to keep going.”

“Yes!”

And so Yua and I dove towards the Dragon emerging from the billowing smoke and resumed our attack. The Dragon was finally beginning to get irritated by these pests that had been swirling overhead for some time and began to swing its tail in earnest.

Even getting grazed by that thing could be a fatal wound.

“Tch!!”

I’m forced to use defense magic in the middle of casting a fire spell. It’s not possible to develop any meaningful offensive magic in the gaps between attacks any longer. It’s becoming difficult to even land a hit at all.

If we make a single wrong choice from this point out, we’d be killed instantly.

“How much… longer!?”

I cast the briefest of glimpses towards the ground, but the evacuation is still far from complete.

(Much longer, it seems…)

For now, we have to focus on defense. Only defense. Arms, tails, and fangs rush at us endlessly. I dodge the strike hurting towards me instead of casting a defensive barrier Yua is doing the same.

We cannot take a single one of the Dragon’s attacks head on. I realized this after seeing just how much strength and speed was behind his blows.

(This is really bad. If things continue like this…)

What should I do? What more can I do to stall this out?

I thought for a moment too long.

And, at that time, I couldn’t react quickly enough. Time seemed to come to a standstill as I saw the tail rushing towards me in the moments before death.

I reflexively put up a barrier, but it’s too little too late. The tail of the dragon of the dragon broke through the magic easily and crashed into me.

“Veena-sama, are you okay?”

But the reality was different. When I regained my senses, I found myself next to Yua.

T-that was dangerous…

I thought that I was going to die.

No, I thought I had died.

“Yua… Thank you. You’ve saved me.”

“It’s nothing, I’m just happy I was able to help Veena-sama.”

I quickly caress Yua’s head as I regain my breath.

She saved me for the second time.

Then, the Dragon’s eyes finally settled on us again. It was a terribly chilling look that sent a shiver down my spine.

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Something is coming. As soon as I thought that, the Dragon opened its gaping maw, and something sparked red and orange in its depths.

“Wha-!!”

It was about to breathe.

“That’s really bad-!”

I grab Yua’s waist and accelerate at full speed, ignoring her panicked “Hyaaaan~!” I will get us out of here as fast as I can.

We could have split up. But, I couldn’t except that. If anything, I reacted instinctively.

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

And in that instant “it” spurt forth from the Dragon’s mouth.

It hurtled toward the ground and slammed into a mountainside, penetrating straight through it and causing an explosion that lit up the night sky in the surroundings beyond.

It is a power beyond reckoning. That exhaled breath was not unlike a small sun.

“This can’t be real…”

As I hold Yua in my arms, we both stare in disbelief at what had just happened to that mountain. She has a slight smile on her face.

“…Veena-sama, thank you. Stopping something like that with a magic barrier would have been impossible. I would’ve been burned to a crisp along with it.”

“That’s… probably the case.”

As we both turn back towards the dragon, that smile disappears.

“No, I definitely think so.”

And so, we confront the dragon anew. But, at that time, in the sky behind us, a light sailed up from the city of Takrath below.

“!”

It was the sign that the evacuation was complete.

We finally did it…

“…Yua, let’s retreat.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

And so, we flew at top speed in different directions away from the Dragon that confronted us, and perhaps predicting our intention, the Dragon started to follow me as soon as I moved.

Thank goodness. That’s right, follow me, let Yua go.

Whilst trying to make good my escape, I fire magic indiscriminately behind me.

A black ray of light magic, a spear of fire, a strike of lightning – I used any and all magic available to me. But, those scales rendered them all moot.

(It’s agile considering how huge it is. Can I even get away?)

Even though I’m moving in complex patterns to try and through it off my tail, its unexpected dexterity means it can easily keep up and even gain on me.

“Ah, this is impossible. I can’t get away.”

I stop casting flight magic and immediately begin to fall towards the tree line below. And the Dragon stops dead in its tracks.

There’s nothing more I can do. Anything more than this is…

I plumb the depths of my remaining magical energy. There’s very little left. I’d run out quickly just trying to stay in the air.

(I hope Yua is safe.)

Whilst thinking about Yua who escaped in a different direction, I start to use the last of my magical energy. Several magical points of energy turned into the form of small Dragons. The Dragons fly forward swiftly, growls ringing from their throats. It looks as if I’m just giving the Dragon a free pre-meal snack.

(It would be nice if you got far, far away from here.)

This wasn’t a final, grieving thought. I let out a little laugh. I came up with a final strategy. So, I decided to put it into action. If it fails, I die. If it succeeds, I will live to go home with her again.

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Yua thought about whether or not to go back.

It hadn’t followed her, the Dragon had instead chased after Veena when they split up.

It was faster than she could ever have imagined. Can you truly get away on your own?

Yua was sick with worry.

(…Veena-sama…)

Her chest tightened.

If something happened to Veena…

Just thinking about it made her heart feel like it was tearing itself apart, and beat ever faster.

Titles and family meant nothing to this young saviour when compared to the one she loved the most, her beloved Veena.

She would rather die than lose her.

(…I’m going back.)

Yua reached a decision. She will return.

With how fast she flew, the wind pressure dismantled the braid that Veena had styled for her earlier, and her long hair flowed in the air.

(At least…)

She picked up the trail of Veena’s magical energy and hurtled in that direction. She picks up her speed, and like a bolt from a crossbow, her trajectory is narrow and flat. Veena’s magical energy suddenly stopped moving. Had she been cornered by the Dragon?

(Let me be with you at the end.)

Flying faster than she ever had, Yua raced towards Veena.

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