Chapter 171
All credit goes to the original author (Chuuni Suki), who has posted the raw data here:
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Bakapervert translated this chapter. Bakapervert did the edits.
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Dragon God Manifestation
(TN: The kanji used for dragon here is for the Chinese dragon, not the western dragon.)
Going back in time for a little.
During the time Shia was embroiled in a mortal combat with the platinum apostles, Tio was also in the middle of a fierce fighting.
Tio unified the armed black dragons with the new black dragons which were transformed using the black whip of slavery, with them Tio challenged the abnormally powerful monsters that filled the surrounding to the brim while enduring the aurora breath of the white divine dragon and Freed's variegated chantless-limitless storm of magic, bearing damage that wasn't few in the process.
The number of monsters that were turned into black dragons using the black whip of slavery was already nearly a hundred. The number of the dragons' fighting force had become doubled. In addition, with Tio's regeneration magic 'Boon of the Dragon King', they became an astounding battle force that should be called as the undying black dragon army.
But, even so, the one who was cornered in this fight was Tio.
(…Hm. The 'Fix It J' at mine hand wouldst be used up soon. When it becomes difficult to evade the aurora completely, it will cause mine damage control to be harsh.)
Tio took out a new magic medicine 'Fix It J' to reduce the additional effect of the aurora and then she gulped it down in one go while making a bitter face.
The aurora breath of the Uranus was excessively powerful. It was exactly like the main cannon of a battleship. Even just its aftershock granted the additional effect of obstructing healing magic and worsened the already existing wound to the target, so completely avoiding that attack was next to impossible.
Not only that, the Uranus didn't only have aurora breath as its attack, it was also creating countless aurora bullets that floated in the area where they would then flew around like a strafing Gatling gun.
Furthermore, Freed's all elements magic in full burst and silver feathers, his silver bombardment, and space magic was pressing on Tio like a surging wave, then the gray dragons above that couldn't be handled by the black dragons would also launch a heavy rain of aurora one after another.
Tio who was continuously enduring through that in paper-thin difference could be said as astonishing. But, if the magic medicine 'Fix It J' that Tio only had several bottles remaining was used up, then that situation would also crumble down, she was placed in a brittle equilibrium right now. The moment Tio became unable to nullify the effect of the aurora showering down on her and she couldn't evade, Tio would surely become cornered in one go at that time.
How much her dragon scales were already broken, how much her blood had flowed out…
Even if she used regeneration magic, there was a limit to the amount of her magic power. Not only for regeneration, her magic power was also being consumed in great amount for her breath attack and metamorphosis magic. To put it bluntly, her situation was gradually getting worse.
Freed also understood that, even now when a hundred of his monsters had been stolen by the black whip of slavery, his composed expression didn't crumble.
Tio was aiming to overturn the situation by turning the monsters into black dragon before she became unable to endure anymore, that was what Freed was thinking, so now that he was looking at Tio's situation where it became difficult for her to heal, on top of that the difference in battle strength where his monsters were still five times the number of the black dragon, he became convinced of his victory.
Looking from his slightly distorted lips, perhaps he was already planning to make sport of Tio until she died. Perhaps in his heart, he was already laughing, looking at the fool who was meaninglessly resisting in desperation for a result that was already obvious to see.
While vaguely guessing that thinking in Freed's heart, Tio was flipping over at midair even now to evade the aurora breath, she swung her whip in a world where up and down was reversed to hold back Freed, at the same time she counterattacked at the Uranus with super thin breath attack from the tip of her gun finger that made a gun shape.
While confirming that her attacks were easily repelled by a barrier of space magic and the white divine dragon's claw, Tio grumbled in her heart.
(Muu, I compressed that attack considerably already. That damned white dragon. To flick away mine breath attack entirely like that. Is that the revenge for previously? The subordinate monster is just like the master. It is making a disgusting grin.)
A fierce barrage of attack approached Tio. Light bullets and silver feathers, plus great number of magic.
Tio activated the space ripping magic enchanted in her whip and tore apart several of those attacks with the meandering movement of the whip that looked like a snake, she weaved through the gap that was created in the barrage and passed through. But, as expected she was unable to perfectly evade, the attack that impacted the edge of her body shaved off her dragon scales.
And then, an aurora breath attacked Tio at that timing. *GOU-!* It blew away the atmosphere while approaching Tio, annihilating a part of Tio's right shoulder and one of the dragon wings growing on her back.
"Kuuuuu-, that's effectiveee"
While leaking out voice unconsciously from the pain that she already didn't remember how many times it had been, Tio used a certain power and immediately used regeneration magic to regenerate her dragon wing before she rebuilt her posture from her midair tailspin.
However, what was regenerated was only her dragon wing while her shoulder blade was still bleeding mostly unhealed. Wondering whether Tio's regeneration magic had finally become unusable, Freed's faint grin became even deeper.
In contrast, Tio was sighing while pondering in her mind.
(Good grief, if Goshujin-sama is the one who did this to me then I would hath reached one or two climaxes already. Even without the side effect from the ability's activation, that kind of attack only granted me pain, and above all, it feels disgusting.)
Surely even Freed who was planning to torment Tio until death would be troubled without end if that only made Tio happy instead. No, before that he would undoubtedly draw away in revulsion.
(The black dragons art increasing favorably. At this rate it wouldst be possible to overturn the difference in battle force. …However, in the end, will it progress that well…. Above all, to head to Goshujin-sama's location with mine own strength and then face against the god…as expected, I hath to prepare that ahead then. In that case, I will need some time…)
Tio who squeezed out a conclusion from wracking her brain repeated attacking and evading the attacks while lamenting the inconvenience of her own trump card. Then she suddenly talked to Freed also with the intention of buying time.
"Which reminds me, thou. What happened with thy brethrens? They should have crossed into the Holy Precincts along with thou shouldn't they?"
Tio who suddenly chatted lightly at him despite her cornered situation made Freed retracted his grin and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Tio made a wry smile at such Freed.
"What's wrong, as thou can see, I can possibly increase my battle force for more than this. At this rate, it seems I can somehow manage this somehow don't thou think? So I am just making a little probe here."
Freed nodded once while grumbling "Fumu" toward Tio who was transparently conveying her true motive.
And then, looking at Tio who was harboring hope that she could possibly overturn the difference in battle force at this rate if the devil race didn't participate in the fight, Freed was making a pitying expression while opening his mouth.
"Let me say that it is a needless worry if you are feeling apprehension about the possibility of participation of my brethrens. All members of the devil race are sleeping at another domain. After all they need to have the strength that is worthy as the vanguard of the god residing in their body before we arrived in the new world."
"I see now. However, this made me wondering though. Why art thou following someone like that Ehitorujue? That guy incited war from the human race side. Because of that there were a lot of devil race people who died isn't that correct? Dost thou not have any ill feeling for that?"
While getting hit by a light bullet once more that caused her dragon scales and blood to be scattered, even so Tio repeated her question calmly.
Freed kept the intensity of his attack without any slackening and returned a sentence.
"Everything is according to god's will."
As though it was only obvious, as if that was the truth, Freed said that without any hesitation or sadness on his expression.
Tornado was generated from the four pair of wings of the Uranus which crumbled the balance of Tio. The aurora breath that was fired at her at that timing burned half of Tio's body. The damage surpassed the reduction effect of 'Fix It J' toward the secondary ability of the aurora. Because of that Tio grimaced due to the additional effect that was invading her body while she drained up a new 'Fix It J' and used her regeneration magic.
However, she was unable to heal herself completely, her constricted waist and burned skin that were exposed from her torn clothes stayed unhealed. Her sleeve was also stayed torn up from her shoulder blade and her white graceful arm swelled bright red.
Cold sweat was perspiring from her skin as though to express her pain, even so Tio repeated her question.
"Even so won't thy comrade become unable to rest in peace? If Ehitorujue didn't summon people of another world here, the Goshujin-sama also wouldn't arrive here. In that case thou wouldn't lose several thousand of thy brethrens like in that day. If the people who hath departed, see thou right now…what art they going to think I wonder?"
Hearing those words that sounded like provocation, or even possibly scorn, Freed suddenly stopped his attack. Not only Freed, the attacks from other monsters including Uranus also stopped coming.
Inside the silence that suddenly visited, a severe earthquake thundered from far away. It was surely the sound of Shia rampaging. But, Freed and also Tio didn't move their gaze there.
Did some kind of change of heart happen in him? Was rage welling up in his heart, or else he wanted to defeat Tio's impudent argument? Tio didn't understand what was going on in actuality, but for the time being this situation was something that she would greatly celebrate for. After all for the time being Tio had the need to receive nonlethal pain from the enemy for a while.
"The likes of you, don't you dare to talk impertinently about our matter."
"Even if I'm not being impertinent, but I could not find even a single factor in Ehitorujue's way of doing thing that I can possibly give my approval forth."
"But, your premise is mistaken. There is no right and wrong in what the god is doing. The intention of the lord is exactly the true path. Therefore, all of my brethrens whose life were scattered, they are all martyr. There is no way they would regret it or anything, surely they will also take pride in what I'm doing."
Tio sent an exasperated gaze at Freed hearing those words.
"The true path, is it. In the end, thou art merely stop thinking for thyself. That's a blind faith. To put it in another way thou hath been brainwashed. Since the first place thou were already a religious fanatic, but even so I could see thy pride as a devil race and thy affection toward thy brethrens. But right now thy art completely a controlled puppet."
"That's what I called as an impertinence."
Freed cut off their talk for once, then he sent a pitying gaze at Tio before started talking once more.
"The many wars, the many hardships, all of those were the trials that god handed down to us. That great person was searching, for existence that is worthy to walk together with him. And then, the one who overcame those trials and got recognized by that great person is only our race, that's all there is to it. The me who was unable to grasp that divine will and instead insulted that great person as a pagan god, that foolishness makes me want to vomit right now. However, that great person forgive this foolish me, and not only he welcomed me in, he even granted me the qualification to be the retainer of god. This depth of god's mercy…why, are you unable to understand it?"
Freed who began to get into a trance while talking caused Tio to groan "oou" in repulsion inside her heart. Freed talking like this was also because of her provocation, but he was even more unsightly to see than she expected.
And then, the content of his talk also felt in perfect form in a certain meaning. There were truly a lot of places that were fully loaded with double standards she could throw retort at. After listening this far, perhaps it could even be said that it felt refreshing instead.
"Just like thou said, in the first place it has become like this because I am someone impertinent. Leaving that aside, 'qualification to become retainer' thou said? Doest that referred to that transformation to an apostle?"
"Correct. First my lord had elevated me to an apostle's rank. And then, eventually I will climb to the rank as retainer god, similar like Aruvheit-sama. It's truly something awe-inspiring, but now that Aruvheit-sama has died, I am serving as my lord's immediate follower. In that case, my race will become the follower of me who is the follower of god. That is to say they will become the people chosen by the true god――a divine race."
Perhaps feeling the extraordinarily great honor that he received, or else, perhaps he was imagining how his own race would rule over the people at the new land as the race of god, whatever the reason Freed's expression was turning into something that might be prohibited to be broadcasted to public while he kept talking even to the topic that he wasn't asked for.
But, at that time, space undulated as though to obstruct the talk of Freed. No, it was a generation of immense power to the degree that it made them thought that space was undulating.
When they spontaneously directed their gaze at the direction of the power, there a faint blue magic power was pulsing like heartbeat while winding up. And then, several of the platinum apostles leaped forward yet they then got blown away instead, they could see such spectacle at the far away.
"Impossible…the apostles are being pushed back? Absurd-. The first until the fifth apostles had been strengthened by my lord's power to a great degree already-!"
Freed's expression changed from a look of ecstasy into a look of shock as though he had been showered with ice water.
That was just how hard it was to believe seeing the scene of someone who regardless of battling five platinum apostles at the same time, far from matching the apostles, this person was even gradually beginning to overpower them.
But, for Tio who believed in Shia from the start, she replied back with an extremely composed tone.
"What art thou feeling surprised for. Among all of us, with the exception of Goshujin-sama, the one who is the most monstrous is Shia just so thou know. That person is without any foundation like being a vampire, dragon race, or apostle's body, even if we look back at her ancestor, she is only a demi-human which mean she also doesn't hath talent in magic. To say further, something like a rabbit race is a race that is the most cowardly in the world. That maiden overturns all that with just her feeling. The likes of the soldiers of the self-proclaimed god who hath no ability other than soaking in joy from belittling other people at best, there art no way they would be able to rival her with just some strengthening don't thou think?"
Tio talked as though it was the truth of this world.
Freed could only leak out a murmur of "…impossible" to Tio's words.
And then, he shook his head as though to shake off something, and then he glared at Tio with a gaze that contained coldness.
"I have to go to support the apostles. Tormenting you to death end right now. You can quickly meet your end."
"Don't say that. The main event will be from here on just so thou know."
"Nonsense. Your scheme won't result in anything. The difference in battle force is impossible to overturn. You are already wounded all over. Further, just I and Uranus are enough to be your opponent."
Freed quietly raised his hand. It was as though he was saying that if that hand got swung down then the scythe of the god of death would be swung down on Tio's neck. Answering its master's will, the white divine dragon roared and its eyes glinted with killing intent.
The fact was that there was five times difference in their battle force. There were still a thousand of Freed's monsters remaining against the two hundred black dragons.
But,
"I don't remember saying these art all of my black dragons though?"
Tio smiled fearlessly.
And then, she resounded the command to revolt simultaneously.
"Awaken! Reborn! O children of dragon king――'Dragon King's Corpse Life Army'!"
Immediately the land squirmed.
No, more accurately the monsters who fell on the ground from the mortal combat unfolding at the sky――that great number of husks were moving like sludge.
At the ground right below where nearly a thousand monsters were lying down, their husks were dyed reddish black and the scenery became a painting from hell. There the first cry of newly born life rose, the husks' shape was gradually firming up, and then the long necks there that were rising up looked like the lid of hell that was sliding open.
One body, and then one more body, those things that were born from the heaps of bodies and streams of blood unfolded open their wings vigorously and flapped, those large bodies were floating up in order to hasten to join at their king's location.
"What, is that…"
Freed's movement spontaneously stopped, his eyes narrowed while looking down at below while he whispered. Tio then answered that whisper.
"What is necessary for black dragon transformation is not only this black whip of slavery. How much dragon scale and blood doth thou think I hath scattered in this battlefield?"
"What? Don't tell me, you used a part of yourself as the medium?"
"Fufufu, now, this is the celebration of thy birth! Raise the grand roar fitting for a dragon!"
"――"
It was Tio's――the dragon king's command.
The black dragons who were just born, and the black dragons who were dancing in the sky simultaneously answered that command. Breath attacks in black color of Tio's magic power light were fired in countless number.
Skewering flashes pierced the sky from the ground. Flashes were rushing horizontally from back and front, left and right. The black flashes that were fired almost at the same time formed a cage of heat ray that put the monsters of Freed at the center with no place to escape.
The shriek of death agony rained down from the sky.
Soul and metamorphosis composite magic 'Dragon King's Corpse Life Army'――this magic was using Tio's own blood and scale as the medium, where the soul magic Dragon Soul Reproduction and metamorphosis magic Sixth Heaven's Demon Transformation were applied on the monsters' corpse to create black dragons.
By offering flesh and blood, making use of corpse, it created a new army――in addition, the created dragons were all black dragon with an evil and atrocious appearance that could be mistaken as an evil dragon. It could be said as a worthy deed for a woman who looked up at a man who was titled as demon king that she called as goshujin-sama…perhaps.
Normally someone who listened to detail of this magic would feel one or two repugnances, but Hajime who listened to the report about this magic instead said "To be able to make use of the killed opponent, that's really ecological. What a convenient magic huh" and looked a little envious. As expected from the man who was called as demon king or demon god. And then, Tio who blushed and fidgeted around shyly but happily after getting praised like that could also be said as having enough quality to be a female general of the demon king.
"How's that? Thy monsters hath been reduced considerably with this don't thou see?"
The corpse life army that was created was roughly consisting of four hundred dragons. Combined with the armed black dragons and monsters that were turned into black dragons using the black whip of slavery, then the total number of the army could reach six hundred dragons.
And then, with the simultaneous breath attacks just now, the monsters of Freed that got slain were roughly three hundred monsters. If added with the numbers of monsters who got heavily injured and became unable to fight satisfactorily then the number of the victim would jump to five hundred. The remaining monsters in good health and all their limbs intact were more or less five hundred.
In other words, the condition had been overturned.
Although Tio's appearance was wounded all over, but her figure who was standing imposingly in midair with black dragons obeying her in the background was truly worthy to be called a dragon king.
As for Freed, he took a slow glare at the battlefield, and then he suddenly lifted the corner of his lips.
It was as though he was looking at the struggle of a bug that had all of its wings already plucked out, as if he was laughing mockingly at a person who ran desperately at non-existence hope, that smile was awfully warped, expressing his ugly emotion.
Freed's mouth opened. His eyes were muddy like dark sludge in his expectation to trample the other party's hope. And then with a voice that was filled to the brim with scorn and ecstasy,
"I don't remember saying these are all of my monsters though?"
Right after that, a pillar of light rose up from the obelisk.
Furthermore, it didn't seem to come only from the obelisk in front of Tio's eyes, the same white light was also rising to the sky one after another from the islands other than the floating islands where Tio and Freed were at. That implied that there were the same obelisks at the surrounding floating islands, this scene was enough to stir up unpleasant premonition in Tio's heart.
"…Hmmm. As expected, it won't go well that easily. If I hath to say in Goshujin-sama's style, then this must be a 'template'." (TN: I guess what she mean by template here is something like cliché or trope I guess.)
Tio was reflexively making a bitter look while whispering that, while at her field of vision the worst situation was coming into view.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
It was a fierce war cry that made the whole space rumbled.
Above and below, back and front, left and right, like a wriggling wall, everywhere she looked at there were monsters, monsters, monsters, a swarm of monsters.
Not only at the floating island where she was at right now, all the islands floating at the surrounding were also wholly covered with swarms of monsters.
Just how many their number could possibly be? Several thousand, several tens of thousands, the monsters' number wasn't at that level anymore. Even hundreds of thousands weren’t enough at all to express their total number. Most likely the monsters here were in the millions.
"Although they are a level inferior compared to the previous monsters, I think their number has compensated for that for more than enough, don't you think so? Now then, Tio Claus, the sport is now over. Prepare to be trampled down."
Right after that, Freed swung down his arm.
That was the signal for the trampling.
The monsters in a great amount of numbers simultaneously rushed at the black dragons.
(-, no matter what this number art just too many. As for Shia…looked like she is victorious, but as expected she cannot immediately move. If she is attacked right now she wouldn't last even for a bit. Thinking about the future, I wish the time could pass a little bit more yet…it can't be helped! A woman is all about guts!)
Although the armed dragons were somehow fighting hard, yet the black dragons other than them were in the middle of raising scream of death agony right now. Tio made her decision.
Until this point of time, she was thinking about after this battle, she was taking safety margin as much as possible while continuing to save her power so she would be able to support Hajime later with the greatest strength possible that she could muster but…now she flung off that thinking to the wind.
This method was a dangerous method where she could possibly die instantly is she mistook even a step.
However, she could only do that in order to activate it instantly! For the sake of her friend, and then, for the sake of her beloved master, she didn't hesitate!
"Cooome on, o white dragon! That indomitable that still hath not hit me properly, now I'll receive it head on without evading, so put thy spirit and fire it at me!"
While saying that provocative sentence, Tio swung around her whip like a tornado around her and cut apart the swarming monsters while her other hand was firing her compressed breath attack.
The black compressed breath that was specialized for piercing became a streak of light and pierced the monsters on its line of fire and arrived at its target the white divine dragon.
Uranus seemed to hear Tio's provocation, it dispersed the approaching breath merely with its roar while its eyes were sparkling with killing intent as though to say "Then take this if you can", it then fired an extra-large aurora.
*DOU!* A bombardment that looked like the main cannon of a space battleship firing that came out in science fiction movie approached in a straight line at Tio while turning the allied monsters into dust just from its aftershock.
Tio drained up in one breath the 'Cheatmate Dr' that she wasted no time to take out, she then threw away the container while performing partial dragonification.
Both her arms swelled up and turned into dragon arms covered in dragon scale and sharp claws elongating out. Furthermore, her whole body became covered with jet black dragon scales leaving no spot exposed, she crossed her arms and took a defensive posture to protect her vital spots.
Freed saw her doing that and guessed that Tio was seriously not going to evade to receive the attack. He made a sneer thinking that she had resigned herself already. That was only natural he guessed. There was no way she could come out safely after getting hit by the aurora. He could see no merit in doing that, that was why it was only natural for him to think that she was now accepting her death graciously.
But, just before the aurora hit, he saw the powerful and resolute gaze of Tio that was visible from the gap between her crossed arms, and he got caught in a violently bad premonition.
He was about to call at Uranus to stop the dragon's attack unconsciously, but the aurora had already got fired by then. It was impossible for him to make it in time, and right then,
*ZUDOOOOOOOO-!!*
Tio's figure was swallowed into the aurora along with a thunderous sound and she vanished from sight.
A track of light divided the sky horizontally.
Inside that light of devastation,
"――—!!!"
Tio desperately endured while raising a wordless scream.
The prided dragon scales that dragon race boasted as the hardest were annihilated in succession. While feeling aware of the unpleasant sensation running through both her blocking arms, an abnormal storm of agony that assaulted her whole body made her gritted her teeth with a force that might break her teeth.
It was an intense pain that might make her mad.
Tio understood that her body was being annihilated from the edge. She hallucinated the shadow of death slithering up on her body. This wasn't like the sweet pain that Hajime granted her, not even for a bit. She was undoubtedly able to listen to the scream that was raised by her dying body.
The damage that had already far surpassed the scope that could be described made her consciousness almost got blown away to the beyond. While she was barely taking hold of her consciousness, Tio endured it through to the end with her spirit, and then…
(…I can do this-)
Conviction.
At the same time, she took out the variable large shield Aedeon from 'Treasure Warehouse II' in front of her eyes, it blocked the aurora just for an instant. The white breath of devastation was easily annihilating the shield that was just a pile of metallic mass without any 'Vajra' or 'Transmutation' or even magic power for regeneration poured into it, but even so the quality shield of Hajime's made definitely protected Tio's body from ruin during a few seconds.
Just that much was more than enough. With a flap, Tio leaped out from the torrent of aurora. And then, she was falling to the ground while white smoke was rising from her body and she impacted on the ground with a thunderous sound.
The ground was gouged from the impact and dust cloud rose up grandly.
"Eh, Tio, san?"
Shia's words felt caught up was surely not only because of her exhausted body.
Shia was obviously looking shocked from seeing the disastrous appearance of Tio.
Tio replied with a bright voice in order to reassure Shia.
"Yes. This is, every, one's, belo, ved, pervert, Tio, san he…gafuh…gehah"
"No no no, this is not the time for saying humor with a body that almost died like that! There is no person or anything that like Tio-san when you are in your pervert mode! All the mankind would only draw away in revulsion against such pervert desu! Wait not that, healing, quickly healing!"
"No, person, likes me…the whole mankind, will draw away…how, cruel. Gofuuu, haa haa."
While taking out magical medicine of healing from her own 'Treasure Warehouse II' all flustered, Shia was making a sharply piercing retort with a voice that was oozing with unease. Even while enduring a tremendous pain, Tio's tone was changing from feeling a bit of pleasure and she was going 'haa haa' in a different meaning. As expected, the pain given to her from her comrade felt sweet.
Shia was crawling toward Tio who was lying down spread-eagled in a tattered state, magical medicine in hand. But, before Shia could reach Tio, a silver feather flew in high speed and disintegrated the medicine container at Shia's hand.
Shia came to her sense and when she looked at the direction from where the feather was flying, there was Freed riding above Uranus there glaring at Shia without hiding the scorn in his expression.
When Shia looked above, there was a swarm of monsters there in which the expression of like the number of stars matched it perfectly. Her surrounding was also completely buried in monsters, she couldn't see the edge of the island at all. It was as though the ground was covered by undulating dark clouds.
Shia and Tio were surrounded completely in a hemisphere shape.
Because Shia had acted recklessly in her battle with the apostles, she was in a state where she couldn't immediately fight, as for Tio it should be rather left unsaid. She was heavily wounded to the degree that it was mysterious that she was still alive.
In other words, this is a situation of checkmate from all point of view.
"A power that could drive away the strengthened apostles of god is something to be feared…but it appeared you have completely used up your strength. It's already over for Tio Claus too. This is the end of the path of the fools who went against god. Obediently receive this judgment."
Shia directed a chilly gaze at Freed who haughtily proclaimed such. And then, when her mouth opened to talk back,
'Fuh, fuha, fuhahahahahah, gehah, kafu-, hahaha-"
Shia swallowed her words hearing Tio's laugh.
"…Have you lost even your mind? That's understandable. After all you should be tormented by unimaginable tremendous pain even now."
"No, no. Nothing, wrong, with mine sanity. What art funny, is, thy humor. Fufu."
Tio ghastly distorted her blood soaked face while directing a sharp gaze that was unthinkable coming from that wound-riddled body. Pierced by those golden eyes with slitted pupils that were increasing in radiance, Freed unconsciously took a step back.
The bad promotion that he felt before Tio got directly hit by the aurora swelled up further, a chill was circling in his whole body as though something unknown was crawling around.
But, he ignored the chill using his fury toward himself who was pressured by these two who were already at the death's door no matter he saw it, and he kept up with his haughty attitude.
"Hmph. What can you do this late with that kind of state? Do you think you can manage something somehow with the likes of the black dragons? Or else, don't tell me, are you thinking that your master would return here so conveniently?"
"Perish, the thought. Just that, the one, ending this, is me."
Tio's body was shining with black colored magic power light. Even though she was supposedly unable to move, her body was making creaking sound while she scolded her trembling legs to stand up. Without paying any mind to the blood that was dripping down, only her lips were showing a deepening fierce smile.
Freed put himself on guard.
He tried to deal the finishing blow judging that there was no need for any question. In concert with that, Uranus also opened its mouth wide. Light of annihilation was converging inside it.
And then, in that moment just before the last flash was going to be fired,
*DOKUN—!!*
Pulsing sound resounded in the space.
Not only that, a tremendous pressure that was even accompanied by physical impact rushed through the dome-shaped space, causing Freed and Uranus to slightly staggered. There were even monsters in the surrounding who fainted.
The center of that pressure was without doubt Tio.
Despite being just a step away from death, she was emitting an impossible pressure.
*DOKUN—!!*
Pulsing was spreading at the whole space once more.
The abnormal pressure was heightening second by second. It even caused a hallucination as though their heart was being grabbed tightly.
*DOKUN—!!*
The pulsation spread for the third time.
Whether one wanted it or not, they were made to understand this instinctually. That it was an existence that one must not lay their hands on.
What they felt was fear.
What was hard to believe, what he didn't want to believe, was that this swelling pulsation of power easily surpassed the white divine dragon that could be said as the culmination of Freed's effort.
(I, impossible. Just what in the world, something, something is happening-. Is she not actually dying? Is she bluffing? Something…something like this, it's as if, as if this is the same with that monster-)
With his body stiffening unable to be aware of his trembling arms and legs, Freed spouted out such words that were filled with confusion and agitation in his heart. But then he came back to his senses all of sudden when he noticed Tio who had stood up completely, she had pulled Shia close to her and gazed at Freed with narrowed eyes.
If he had the free time to be paralyzed, if he had the time to lament how unbelievable this was, then he should attack them with no question asked instead. Even with the situation turning bizarre like this, it didn't change that Tio and Shia were in exhaustion, it would be enough if he attacked simultaneously along with the surrounding monsters. Freed was feeling anger at his own stupidity after this late like that.
With that fury, Freed who was scolding himself raised up his arm.
"Tsk, attack-! Don't let them do anything-! Kill them right now-!!!"
A command that sounded like a shriek.
All the terrified monsters couldn't immediately react. Be that as it may, the monsters that were in the number that was far more than enough to destroy just two people obeyed that command, including the Uranus they let out their killing intent.
There, a voice resounded.
The voice that possessed a solemn echo sounded like it was descending from the sky despite how the speaker was right there in front of them.
"Observe closely. This is the zenith that I, the dragon race Tio Claus had arrived at."
Right after that, a storm of killing intent was released.
At the center of that was naturally the aurora breath of Uranus.
But, all those attacks couldn't hope to wound Shia and Tio.
If the reason was asked, it was because just before the attacks were launched, an extremely large flash surged and pierced the sky with Tio as the center.
Black――or rather the dark light that was like the abyss was rising straight to the sky, the monsters standing on its way were all blown away.
Although attacks were rushing at that flash's bottom, the place where Tio and Shia were at, the dark light pillar rising to the sky while rumbling the space didn't shake even a bit.
Far from that, it increased in radiance even further while still piercing the sky, in addition black ripple was spreading in the sky.
"What is, what is happening-!"
Freed yelled with even his confusion exposed.
Even while he was doing that, the dark ripple was spreading through the sky――
At the next moment, a flame blast licked all over the sky.
The radiant great fire was spreading crawlingly and in the blink of eye the sky was dyed red. What was manifested wasn't sea of clouds but a sea of flame. The red sea that was blazing roaringly couldn't be thought as the scenery of this world by any means.
Further in that flame sea of the sky, lightning surged.
Divine rumbling sound roared, not losing to the sound of the air bursting. The raining down thunders were randomly, carelessly, mercilessly, shooting out the monsters and exterminated them like scattering flies.
At that time, in the sea of flame and lightning, something undulated.
A black and shining twisting large body. The whole of that body couldn't be seen yet, it was unclear just how big it was, a part of its body was jutting out from the sea of flame and thunder before sinking in again. It was just like how the divine beast leviathan was lurking in the sea, however, the aberrant pressure pouring down on the ground was far mightier.
"What, wha-what, is that…"
Freed was staring at the sky in a daze while whispering. All the monsters including the white divine dragon were also at the same state. All the monsters were similarly kept staring at the red sky in a daze.
There was no way that whisper would be answered. But, just when they were thinking like that, in that timing the thing swimming in the sea of lightning and flame displayed the whole of its true form.
Along with a tremendous roar.
GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
The sky fell.
The enormously tremendous roar that made the listener hallucinate that rained down from the sky in super wide range.
Due to that, the monsters who had difficulty in their defensive power were easily pulverized, while a lot of other monsters had their consciousness reaped and they fell on the ground.
Amidst that, what showed its figure was a gigantic dragon covered in dragon scale that shined black with its body clad in flame and lightning. It wasn't a western dragon that imitated a lizard. It was an eastern dragon with a long meandering body like a snake. The whole length of its body might be more than a hundred meter.
Black dragon――no, if the white dragon was called as a white divine dragon, then the true form of this dragon that should be called as a black divine dragon, went without saying, it was the form of that person Tio Claus.
Soul and metamorphosis composite magic 'Dragon God Manifestation'――using soul magic 'Magic Clad Alignment' that aligned the soul with magic so that the body could wear the magic itself with the highest class flame magic 'World Destroyer Flame Wave' and the highest class wind magic 'Sky Miracle', and then adding to those the metamorphosis magic 'Sixth Heaven's Demon Transformation', secret medicine to strengthen the body, sublimation magic, and then, the 'Pain Conversion II' that was the derivative skill of characteristic magic 'Dragonification', only after using all of those at the same time this ultimate skill of Tio could be activated.
Tio was reducing the side effect of the aurora that was too strong while doing damage control. Even while doing that she was piling up the necessary strength for dragon god transformation using 'Pain Conversion II' by continuously bearing wounds.
She had received that much damage while healing herself to the degree that she wouldn't die, even so, if at the very end she didn't bear that heavy wound that brought her to the verge of death, she wouldn't be able to pile up the strength for the dragon god transformation. In addition, she was unable to stock up energy by hurting herself, on top of that the damage couldn't be changed into pleasure in the middle of the conversion, and then there was even the side effect of her sense of pain getting magnified. If someone with average mental strength attempted this, they would be driven mad assuredly before they could activate the dragon god transformation.
Originally Tio planned to take care of Freed with only her black dragons, and then she would rush toward Hajime's position with a strength that was still heightened to maximum before unveiling this technique in the battle against Ehito but…
In the present situation where she forced herself to activate this technique, she might only have a minute to maintain this form. And then, after her dragon god transformation was released, she would surely become the same like Shia where she would be in a state where she couldn't fight.
Therefore
(I'll finish everything in this one minute!)
The golden eyes of Tio who accomplished dragon god transformation glared fiercely at the monsters below.
The monsters immediately drew back in fear. Only one, the white divine dragon who wasn't drawing back, but in its eyes there was a fear and awe that couldn't be hidden.
Tio's roar thundered.
Right after that, many gigantic lightning surged from the sea of flame and lightning and mercilessly cooked the monsters swarm. If this scale was measured using the earth measurement then the scale could far surpass a level F5 storm. The monsters who tried to escape were all rolled up and embraced into blazing arms, they were annihilated there leaving not even dust behind.
"Impossible-, impossible-, impossible-, impossible-, impossible-, impossible-, impossible-, impossible-, impossible-! This, something like this is impossible-,! There is no way this is possible-!"
The thunders raining down from the sky was like a divine punishment. The tornado connecting the land and sky and swallowed everything into ruin was like the fire of hell.
Seeing that scene that should be called as the manifestation of heaven's might, Freed felt like the divinity of the god that he held faith to was denied along with his faith, he was repeating words that denied reality in half-madness.
And then, he gave an order to the divine white dragon that was his best masterpiece.
"Deny that, Uranus! That, that existence, DENYYYYYY IIIIIIIIITTT!!"
GuUU, RUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!
Uranus answered its master's command.
It opened its jaw and fired the strongest aurora it could as though to blow away his fear altogether, as though to grant its master's wish.
However, that attack which was fired with its whole body and soul――
GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!
The flash of darkness clad in sparks that was fired from the jaw of the divine black dragon Tio collided against the aurora midair. A beat later, the aurora was easily pushed back and the flash of darkness swallowed Uranus without stopping.
There wasn't even a shriek of death agony.
The flash of black that erased even sound merely tore up the sky, gouged the ground, and without slowing down it annihilated a part of the floating island before vanishing at the space below.
No, the white divine dragon wasn't completely annihilated.
Its lower body was blown away, its body that consisted mostly only of chest and head fell on the ground with a bam. Its dignity as a divine dragon had already gone without even a fragment remaining. Light was quietly falling off from its eyes, reducing the flesh into a mere husk.
"U, ra…nus?"
Freed stared at the white divine dragon with powerless voice.
That figure that didn't respond even when he called made an indescribable emotion to well up in his heart.
The processing of information in his brain couldn't catch up with what was happening.
Even though he was floating in midair, it felt like his feet was swaying unstably.
When Freed noticed, he was screaming.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!"
Giving only a glance at the millions of monsters who were exterminated with preposterous momentum, Freed glared straight at Tio and flapped his silver wings. In those eyes things like monsters or anything else weren't reflected anymore, there was only flame of fury and hatred blazing there.
He fired silver flash with all his strength. He fired shockwave of space magic and tore apart the space.
But, all of those were easily dispersed just with Tio's roar.
He couldn't reach.
He couldn't reach toward Tio who had climbed to far away height.
That was why,
"Gahah!?"
The shockwave of the roar that Tio raised――Freed was driven away just from the after wave from that.
Freed whose whole body was struck hard and stiffened as though he was paralyzed was then assaulted by falling thunder. *KA-!* The sky flashed and then at the next instant, a tremendous impact pierced his body, Freed was falling to the ground while white smoke was raising from his body.
His body struck the ground, and then after he bounced several times on the surface, he finally stopped and laid down spread-eagled.
In the eyes of Freed that were looking above at the sky, the scene where the monsters in the number that covered the whole space to the brim had been reduced to a degree where they could be counted by a glance was reflected. Whether he wanted it or not, he was made to understand that this was the end.
His violent emotions already disappeared, right now for some reason only emptiness was smoldering in him.
What is someone like me who was welcomed by god doing, giving up like this. I should resolve myself instead to walk the path of martyrdom to take the enemy together with me into death until the very end.
Even when he tried to persuade himself like that, as expected, his body didn't even twitch. His body was unable to move because of the damage…not. The will power to move his body, just wasn't welling up in his heart.
"I…"
At that time when Freed was about to whisper something, a black light fell from the sky toward him.
His awfully calm mind judged that it was a finishing blow for him. With this, it was the end for him.
But, at that moment, a shadow passed over the firing line of the black light.
KURYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA–!!
"Wha-!?"
Something roared and cut into the firing line, and with its body that something became Freed's shield, it was…
"Uranus-!!"
Yes, it was the white divine dragon that should have already expired.
With its body that now consisted only of its upper body, Uranus somehow moved and leaped in front of the dark flash.
The white divine dragon whose body was in tatters from the edge slightly turned at Freed who was opening his eyes in shock while narrowing its eyes quietly.
He couldn't hear any words even if he used metamorphosis magic.
Nevertheless, at that time, Freed was able to clearly understand what the white divine dragon was conveying to him.
Namely,
"Run away, huh…"
While making aurora to gush out from its remaining broken body, unbelievably Uranus was holding back Tio's flash――that will, it was the will to not let its master Freed to die.
At that moment, a torrent of memory rushed Freed.
He recalled. At the time when he was nothing more but a mere devil race, why at that time he was attempting to challenge a great labyrinth.
(…I was merely, wishing to make a safe country, where nothing could threaten my brethrens. I pursued power for the sake of that. My brethrens were more important than anything. I thought that if it was for their sake then I could do anything. Yet despite so…'It can't be helped because it's the will of god', huh…)
The white divine dragon was pressuring on him.
It was directing a criticizing gaze toward its master that wasn't trying to run.
But, toward that white divine dragon, Freed only shook his head quietly and made a troubled smile.
He challenged a great labyrinth with mad desperation, actually he even almost died many times before obtaining the metamorphosis magic. And then with that magic this dragon monster was the first monster that he subdued. Since then this dragon had been his partner for all this time.
Even though it should have been dead for sure, yet it crossed over logic and rushed to him when he was in danger. He felt a definite bond in that act. Even though he himself had already forgotten even such an important thing before he knew it, his partner didn't forget that even now when it was already dead.
Freed's body was worn-out, he was already unable to move satisfactorily.
Then,
"…Sorry. Go together with me, partner."
――Kurya
That voice sounded as though it was saying "Can't be helped huh".
At the next moment, the dark flash swallowed everything like a divine punishment――
After that, there was nothing left behind.
(If thou two weren't charmed by that god…thou would be a good pair of master and servant, no, a good partners with certainty. But, thou were unable to resist or persist, art because of thy weakness in the end. Thou could make no excuse. Well, at the very least, this Tio Claus will remember the conclusion of the two of thou.)
Tio turned a solemn gaze fitting for a dragon god to the spot where Freed and Uranus were at.
That way of ending that Freed and Uranus showed at the very end, where they smiled wryly at each other holding a saturation of various emotions, for Tio it was something that for some reason she didn't want to cast away as something trivial.
But, at that time, Shia's voice resounded.
{Ti, Tio-saaaan. Won't the time come any time nowww?}
Shia's voice that reached Tio through telepathy came from inside the body of Tio that transformed into dragon god. So that she wouldn't get dragged in, Tio sheltered Shia inside her body where it was the safest place. It was essentially the same like when she stored away her equipment when she turned into a dragon. Her body was longer than a hundred meters anyway so there was no problem for her to shelter Shia inside there.
{Yes. It's frustrating but, mine limit will come soon. Let's annihilate them all in one go!}
The time limit of the dragon god transformation.
Along with a terrific roar, a flash that dyed the world black rushed through the space. Thunders were becoming fiercer and fiercer and gigantic tornados of flame trampled the monsters to ashes.
And then,
{Kuu, thi, this is the limit.}
At the same time with Tio's pained voice, the sea of flame and thunder covering the sky dispersed and the tornado became undone gently. There was almost no monster that could be seen. Even if there were monsters that survived they would be wounded all over or ran away at full speed already fearing Tio's majestic appearance.
Right after that, the body of the black divine dragon went *KAT!* as though light exploded, then that large body vanished like a lie and Shia and Tio appeared at the midair.
As only natural, they lost against gravity and fell.
"Wait, Tio-saaan! This is midair desuu!"
"Ah, oops. I hath no spare energy. Shia, give me help."
"Are you stupid-. Even I don't have any spare energy anymore!"
They looked like they still had the composure to complain at each other, but in actuality they couldn't even use 'Air Force' or body strengthening, far from that they didn't even have magic power remaining to activate 'Treasure Warehouse II', so this wasn't quite a laughing matter for them.
"Hiiiii! Even though we have won with great pain, yet we are going to die like this in the end, I don't wanna desuu!"
"I, it's fine! Black dragooonnn, heeelp uuussss"
Tio called the black dragons. Shia felt relieved noticing that they still had this method.
However, the voice of the black dragons that responded to Tio's call sounded extremely far.
"Aa, that's right. Because it was dangerous I made them to evacuate quite far. Perhaps they won't make it in time…"
"Noooooooooo!! Hajime-saaaaan!!"
Shia started crying. While Tio was plainly flustered.
But, at that time, a white shadow rushed toward the two in super speed like a streak of flash.
And then, the arms of the two were firmly caught by rabbit ears, the catcher then kicked on the air and reduced its speed.
That was,
"Inaba!?"
"Is it Inaba!?"
"Kyuu!"
Yes, it was the kick rabbit Inaba-san.
Inaba was kicking on the air while gradually lowering their altitude, he then safely lowered Shia and Tio on the ground.
"Thou saved us. My gratitude to thou, Inaba."
"Inaba, thank you very much. But, why are you here…"
"Kyukyuu! Kyuu?"
Inaba brushed off his rabbit ear with a swish as though to say don't mind it. And then in exchange for answering Shia's question, Inaba stiffened his ear at a certain direction.
When they looked there, there were the figures of Shizuku and others at far away waving their hands energetically at them while coming to their spot riding their skyboard.
Shizuku and others who closed the distance in the blink of eye landed down beside Shia and Tio.
"I'm glad that the two of you are safe. Looks like it was dangerous just now isn't it."
"I wondered what was going on when Inaba-san leaped forward, but really it's great that the two of you are safe."
"Ou, looks like you two got really messed up huh."
"Haha…it was like looking at a myth happening just now. …Really, I'm glad that Shizuku and others stopped me…"
Shizuku and Suzu approached Shia and TIo who was lying down dead tired and made them drank magic medicine and put healing magic on them. Ryutaro was looking around at some of the floating islands that looked like they were going to crumble anytime with an astonished expression. Kouki was cursing "Are you idiot huh!?" and punching with his all the him in the past who acted hostilely at Shia and others while offering thought of gratitude at Shizuku and others once more.
"Shizuku-san and others too, you are all safe. Besides, it appeared that the idiot-san also seems to be reflecting. That's great desu."
Shia's words made Kouki groaned "uu".
"But, as for the other one…no, I doth not say anything. Everyone, thou all has worked hard."
Tio was looking at Suzu with a bit of consideration, but as for the aforementioned Suzu, she was smiling with a clear gaze like a different person compared to before they parted, so Tio didn't convey any word of consolation and merely gifted them words of praise. Toward that, Suzu's smile turned even stronger.
"Nevertheless this is shocking. When we discovered the entrance that connected the spaces and tried to jump into it…"
"Sea of fire, tornado of flame, countless monsters, and then there was even a jumbo dragon exactly like in a myth. I already resigned myself for a bit there. The scenery made me wanted to make a U-turn because we mistook the room."
Shizuku and Suzu turned their gaze at Tio.
It appeared Shizuku and others arrived at this space just when Tio was doing her dragon god transformation. The first scene that they saw right after crossing the space was an Armageddon…there was no doubt that their eyes at that time were flying out of their eye socket in shock just like in manga picture.
"Well, because that was mine trump card after all. Originally I wished to rush at Goshujin-sama's side in the state of dragon god transformation but…that was a wish that was too high to achieve. Rather than that, all of thee hath caught up to us really quickly isn't it? Even though thou hath no compass like us."
"We weren't really lost you know? After the clock tower got smashed, it took us a bit of time to search the other city but, when we discovered another entrance and used it, we arrived directly to here."
"Hmm. As for us, from that ruined city there were several spaces that interposed between us until this space but…perhaps with the destruction of the clock tower, the arrangement of the connected space changed then. After all the compass should have displayed to us the shortest route."
Possibly this might be the harassment from Ehitorujue. Tio thought about Hajime who went ahead and she sent a bit worried gaze at empty air.
The expression of Shizuku who guessed that Hajime wasn't here as expected from Tio's expression turned similarly worried and then she inquired about what happened.
Like that they listened to the rough gist of what happened from Shia and Tio, and then all of them nodded at each other in agreement to chase after Hajime in this case, it was at that time,
GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO —-
The space began to rumble.
Shia and others put up their guard at the surrounding wondering what was going on.
Ahead of the gazes of them, *bari-*, *biki-*, the space itself was cracking. It was as though the space was going to crumble.
Right after that, the floating island where Shia and others were at that was already greatly damaged became unable to endure the vibration that attacked the space and large fissures ran through the ground, a beat later, the island crumbled grandly.
In panic, they boarded their skyboard and evacuate to sky.
"Tha, that is…is that by any chance, the surface?"
Suzu was pointing at below while raising her voice.
The floating island was breaking. The space beneath it was wavering, from there they could see a ground at far below. The scenery there where there was a fortress and grass plain was also one that they were familiar with, and then a great number of people were clamoring there in that image.
Perhaps because the space was unstable, that scenery immediately disappeared and returned back to usual. But, the eerie rumbling was still not stopping, the spots of space where there was wavering faintly displayed places that they had visited before and also places they didn't know before vanishing once more.
"…Surely this is because of Hajime-san desu. Hajime-san is fighting Ehito desu!"
"That's right. This place art Holy Precincts. Then this place should be the place that is most affected by the god Ehito. For the space to become unstable might mean that this is just how much Ehito art being cornered."
It was merely a hypothesis.
But, it was a hypothesis that they could believe because if it was Hajime then it was possible.
"Then, we too have to hurry then."
"Yoosh, let's get out from this place that might collapse anytime and link up with Nagumo-kun immediately."
Everyone nodded to Shizuku and Suzu's words.
And then, they headed toward the obelisk at the center floating island that was still barely floating.
Shia who was still staggering with her shoulder was supported by Shizuku with her shoulder while she touched her hand at the obelisk without hesitation.
"?"
However, nothing happened. When Hajime used his compass, there was no doubt that it was pointing at this obelisk, so there was no mistake that this was the entrance.
Shia touched the obelisk one more time, but as expected nothing happened.
"Why!?"
Shia who became desperate touched again, but no matter how many times she repeated the obelisk wasn't reacting.
"Perhaps this art related with this unstable space. If I remember correctly, there art also obelisk at the other floating islands correct? Let's try using those."
Following Tio's consideration, they headed toward the other obelisk.
…However, that obelisk was also not reacting.
And, at that time, the space shook once more.
And then, this time the space began to crumble from the edge.
Shizuku who got a bad premonition went toward the boundary where the place was beginning to crumble and threw a rock as a test. Her premonition was spot on. The thrown rock crumbled as though it was disintegrated and vanished without even leaving dust behind.
"A bad, situation is it…"
Tio's grim voice rang awfully clearly.
"Even if we get swallowed by the crumbling we are going to be safe…something like that would be just too convenient isn't it."
"What about the obelisk that we used to enter into this space I wonder?"
Following Suzu's proposal, they headed toward that place in a hurry. The crumbling was advancing rapidly. They understood that the space was shrinking down as though a cage was getting smaller little by little. Right now, even in this moment the floating islands that were caught by the crumbling were vanishing into dust starting from their edge.
"No way…we cannot even go back."
Kouki murmured with a sorrowful face.
The obelisk that Kouki and others came out from into this place also didn't react.
The crumbling was approaching.
They returned to the center floating island in hurry, but the crumbling was accelerating with increasing momentum. It seemed that even another space that they could see from the swaying space also didn't escape from the crumbling. Even the world of the ruined city was vanishing from its edges.
"Is this…as far as we can go?"
Kouki murmured.
Shizuku and others gritted their teeth hearing those words.
"Hajime-san, Yue-san…"
With a strong gaze, Shia was staring at an empty space as though she was looking far away while calling the name of the two of her beloved.
Finally the crumbling was also starting to erode the center floating island.
They desperately wracked their brain. They wouldn't stop struggling until the end.
Like that, rather than waiting for death