Aftermath 600 – The Hero’s Melancholy (5)

600.

Big, huh. Still really big.

The trees in the forest tremble, and the birds scatter in startled chirps.

Ver, having returned to his form as a giant Gold Dragon, was displaying the majesty of a Dragon Lord.

But it’s ironic that the giant dragon before me is the challenger, and I, with my frail body, am the one being challenged.

I may just look like an incredible bishoujo on the outside, but in reality, I’m the strongest in this world.

But even the amazing me was quite tired from the continuous battles. The accumulated damage was by no means small.

Am I really going to collapse? Thinking that, I gave a faint smile.

“Come at me, Dragon Lord!”

“Kyakyaaaaaaaa!”

A roar unimaginable from Ver’s usual quiet self.

At the same time, Ver brought his forepaw with its fearsome claws down on me.

“Keuh…!”

As expected of a dragon, and the most powerful Dragon Lord at that, his physical prowess is something else. Both the speed and weight are terrifying. The impact of receiving that made my feet sink deep into the ground.

He doesn’t intend to have a long power struggle with me in Overdrive. As if to say that, Ver immediately withdrew his forepaw.

And what I saw before my eyes was a dragon with golden magic charged, about to unleash a breath attack.

Kukwakakakakaka-!

It’s different from Celina’s fire breath. Just a fierce release of pure magic.

Ver’s breath, fired at me, shaved away the forest and left scars even on the distant mountain range. It’s a power that changes the terrain.

“Eugeueuk…”

Just Overdrive might have been a bit much…

There’s not a place on my body that doesn’t hurt, thanks to the heavy torrent of magic that battered and passed over me. This isn’t something you can just take with your body.

But I wasn’t given the leeway to even check the dull pain. Seeing me standing unharmed, Ver immediately launched an additional attack.

“No mercy, huh…!”

“Kekakaka! What’s wrong! Hero! Is that all you’ve got for the master of this body!”

His personality seems to have changed a lot since becoming a dragon… It suddenly occurred to me, maybe Ver has been suppressing his desire to rampage like this all along?

Leaving that question aside, I blocked Ver’s claws, which were trying to rake me along with the ground, with my sword. The weight and power are incomparable, but it’s not to the point where I need to focus all the nerves in my body like I did with Blade to react.

But as I experienced a moment ago, the true value of a dragon starts now. The fearsome dragon will be preparing to unleash a fearsome breath.

As expected, golden magic was surging in Ver’s mouth. The moment I confirmed that with my eyes, I leaped forward. Towards the front of the giant golden dragon.

Kukwakakakakakaka-!

The vibration and sound reminiscent of an explosion on the battlefield whizzed right past me. It’s enough to make my ears ring. But a dragon’s breath shouldn’t be something they can fire in rapid succession! I aimed my sword at Ver’s face and charged.

“Whirlwind Slash!”

I launched my first attack in this showdown. The Dragon Lord’s breath was just that threatening. Well, it’s also because I’ve been with Blade and Celina for so long that I roughly know what tricks they’ll use.

Countless sword strikes like a whirlwind. Numerous sword marks are engraved on the Dragon Lord’s chest. Ver roared again.

“Kekakakakaka! Excellent, Hero!”

…Is it even working? Golden blood flowed from between the cut scales, but Ver didn’t seem to care at all. And the next moment, he flapped his giant wings and began to soar into the sky.

“The air, huh… Didn’t you say that was cowardly against Celina?”

“That was only in regards to despicable tactics. Isn’t soaring through the sky the true essence of a dragon? Keukeu, of course, I have no intention of clumsily imitating a bird of prey like Celina.”

Saying that, golden magic circles began to float around Ver. I’m not very detailed when it comes to magic, but with my knowledge as the master of the world, I could tell that it was ancient magic.

And golden magic is gathering in Ver’s mouth again. But the amount of magic is twice, no, three times as much as the previous breath.

“Amplification magic circles… Is it okay to shoot something like that at a person?”

Magic that amplifies the power of the breath. I could tell that it was magic used to annihilate the opponent in front of you, completely disregarding magic efficiency.

“Kekaka! There’s no one who can receive this other than you! Now, Hero! This is this Dragon Lord’s all-out strike!”

Golden magic is accumulating to the point of being blinding. Is he really planning to shoot that at the ground? Anyone who doesn’t know would think the Dragon Lord is planning to destroy the earth. No, even I can only see it that way.

Besides, Elena, Blade, and even Celina are unconscious around me right now. There’s a chance that the mansion and surrounding villages could be damaged. Well, Liel can probably protect herself.

Ver, this guy, he’s having too much fun rampaging as a dragon after so long that he’s not seeing his surroundings, is he?

“Haa, this calls for a punishment.”

I muttered quietly and raised the Abyss Sword. Even in the blinding golden light, the Abyss Sword’s blade retained its chilling blue light.

I could easily resolve the situation by using Over Exceed Drive… but I’ve already declared that I’ll only use Normal Overdrive. That’s enough.

Blade’s fighting spirit left quite an impression on me. When did he acquire Brave Sword? When I used the Abyss Sword before?

Anyway, the Brave Sword that Blade used is the old version. A simple and inefficient skill that pours all the power you have into the sword. I now have a more improved version of Brave Sword than that.

But right now, we need power more than efficiency.

Power that won’t lose to that golden light.

The golden magic gathered in Ver’s mouth seemed to have reached its critical point. The wavering light was reminiscent of a full moon. And the very next moment, a torrent of golden magic poured towards me, towards the ground.

I swung my sword so as not to lose to that either. Pure white light, imbued with the power of the hero.

“Brave Sword!”

Gold and white. Two pillars of light collided in the air.

=======================================

“Ugh, euum…”

Ver barely opened his eyes. He stirred as he opened his eyes, but he wasn’t in a state where he could move as he pleased.

“I, I’m sure in the battle with the Hero… Ugh, euum… He, Hero… What is this…?”

It’s only natural to have doubts. Ver’s body is currently tightly bound by restraints made of orichalcum. Completely naked, too.

Both arms are tied behind his back, his ankles are in shackles, and even a cute collar and leash around his neck.

“I guess you can’t say you don’t remember. You got completely immersed in the battle and tried to destroy the earth, didn’t you?”

“U, ugh… Th, that’s… I, I’m sorry. I was too excited after releasing my power for the first time in so long…”

“Then you know that you need a punishment, right?”

“U, uwaaeugh… I, I understand… I’ll gladly accept any punishment… Be it humiliation or disgrace… Please don’t hate me…”

Still, the fact that he immediately and sincerely reflects is different from some crappy mage somewhere. He seems to have immediately understood what ‘punishment’ I was talking about. Even while restrained and uncomfortable, he was waiting for my disposition with his ass spread wide open.

But before dragging the losers to the training room, there was still something left to do. The last person. Her, who had been quietly waiting until I was most exhausted. The showdown with Liel remains.

My condition is completely messed up because I used the old version of Brave Sword. My remaining HP is only 1. But I still intended to continue the match.

Just don’t get hit, right?

“What will you do, Liel? It seems like the best opportunity is left for Liel.”

“Uhm… I guess so.”

That’s a strangely cautious answer. Liel’s eyes moved from side to side. She seems to be thinking about something inside. What more is there to think about after coming this far?

Liel, having finished thinking, smiled brightly and said.

“I’ll do it next time, Hero-nim.”

“O, really? Are you sure?”

Even if I continue these matches, there’s a high possibility that I won’t be this exhausted again in the future. I’ve already learned Blade and Celina’s hidden cards, and Ver won’t be able to go this wild next time either.

But you’re postponing it to next time? You’re giving me time to recover? What’s the scheme?

“What’s wrong, Hero-nim? Wouldn’t it be better for you to go in and rest?”

“Ah, th, that’s right.”

Liel’s smile, which seemed to hide some kind of ulterior motive. Seeing that, I was feeling an inexplicable sense of unease.