Chapter 245
Arifureta After II Oh No, I Made a Child……
AN: I have no excuse.
You see, Shirakome prioritized Ame Talk. (TN: A variety show in Japan)
And then see, today I prioritized babying the brats.
Conclusion->I couldn't write.
And so, it will continue for just one more chapter.
Evil dragon Helmut showed his appearance from the cloudy sky.
The length of his body easily surpassed a hundred meter, he had black scales that looked as though they absorbed the light and crimson vertical slit pupils with black corneas that looked like ink drop. He was surrounded by several tornados and despite the violently raging wind, black mist was welling up and coiling around him, making his silhouette unclear.
Just from him being there, anyone hallucinated as though the air had died. It was suffocating, the limbs were trembling and wouldn't listen to what their owner was telling them, and the consciousness was painted over as though a black in was flowing onto the canvas that was themselves.
(Aa, this is, hopeless……)
The clacking sound was ringing from her own teeth. Roze muttered inside her heart while being conscious of that in the corner of her mind.
Fallen――now she understood the meaning of that word.
That was certainly a "fallen existence". Just from being there he harmed the living people, a person that chased away everything into destruction. This was an existence that had no other options except "annihilation", beyond the concept of persuasion or fighting. It didn't matter what kind of circumstance there was in the past.
That was truly "a foe that one couldn't accept to live under the same sky".
It wouldn't be a battle where both sides put their own belief on the line. This foe merely had to be taken down no matter the cost, if one wished to stay alive in the future ahead of here.
But even with that understanding……
(There is no way……to win. Human's karma…….it created such thing…….an existence……this huge……aa)
――They had no future
Roze's heart was breaking. Even when she understood that this enemy had to be defeated, she couldn't see the future. The existence before her eyes, the endlessly deep hatred, despair, and then the powerful might she felt swallowed her……
「GURYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!!!」
「-」
A howl thundered. A gallant war cry overflowing with dominating aura, as though to blow away the dark clouds. It was enough to blow away the terror eroding the people. At the same time, silver light was covering the city like an aurora.
There was hope right here. Nobody would forsake it.
The world that was almost dyed black recovered its light as though there was a torch illuminating it. People were liberated from the wedge of terror and they looked up to the sky. Even without words, the king's roar conveyed that will.
「Kuwai, bel……」
『Partner, stand tall. We are, a king.』
The【Spring of True Dragon's Tear】had no power to quicken mental growth. Even with his body grown up, his heart was still immature. But, Kuwaibel was a king. Even though he was young, but he was indeed a king that protected and guided the people.
Surely he was feeling the immense power of the enemy. Roze could feel his faint trembling. But, his gaze wasn't averted even for an instant from the enemy that threatened the people.
Her partner's words and that gallant figure made Roze recovered her senses in surprise.
「Kuwaibel. Can you defeat him?」
『I will. Without fail. Roze, you gather everyone. I cannot protect them in wide range.』
「……Got it. I'll evacuate even just one person more to the palace. If it's the palace then it will be able to form a powerful barrier too. You don't need to hold back.」
『I got it.』
With a gentle flap, the wind that was caused from the dragon wings caressed Roze's cheek. Roze too also gently caressed Kuwaibel's back. They had no need of more words than that.
Without hesitation Roze jumped down from Kuwaibel's back. Without delay a silver light wrapped Roze and lowered her down in front of the palace's front gate.
Roze and Kuwaibel turned their back at each other on the ground and in the sky. They quietly turned their gaze, the queen toward the people, and the monarch dragon toward the enemy.
「I will protect them-, partner!」
『I'll protect them-, partner!』
A beat of wings. A single roar. Monarch dragon Kuwaibel――moved out!
With his whole body clad in extreme light, he soared in a straight line into the black storm, toward the world's despair!
『Listen, the people of the kingdom! The people of Qwailent! Gather in the palace without any distinction of enemy or ally! Take each other's hand of the people beside you, gather under our protection!』
The people's consciousness was aroused by Roze's words. The aurora of extreme light covering the whole city was shaving much of Kuwaibel's strength. Roze could only protect the people while narrowing the range of the protection as much as possible so Kuwaibel could pour even just a bit more of his strength into fighting.
In the palace, naturally there was a barrier device that was installed. Even without Kuwaibel's power, it could protect the people from the black rain.
The people of the former dragon kingdom scolded their heart that flinched from terror and obeyed their queen's words. But, midway, they unintentionally stopped moving that there were words telling them to save their enemy the people of Qwailent inside Roze's words.
The apprehended people of Qwailent were also the same. They were looking at Roze with expression of disbelief.
Roze raised her voice once more to them who were like that.
『You understand right? For that existence, it doesn't care whether you are Avenst or Qwailent. Just by us being human, no, just by us being alive is enough to make that person bring destruction to us. This isn't the time for us fellow human to fight each other! We have to survive even by a single person more!』
A howl roared. Aurora flashed inside the world that was rampant with dark clouds. Striking light that painted out the sky like lightning.
Amidst the sound of fierce fighting resounding in the world, in the plaza in front of the place that felt like death silence had returned despite the sound, the words of Roze's, dragon kingdom Avenst's queen reverberated resolutely.
『For the future!』
*zaa-* Black rain poured on the aurora of extreme light. Under the light of protection protecting them……
「Your Majesty. The people working in the breeding farm――the people of Avenst, I don't catch sight of them in the plaza. There is a large trailer in the eastern barrack. I'll go pick them up if you permit me!」
The one who raised his voice saying that was a soldier of Qwailent. Because the dragons of the breeding farm received Kuwaibel's protection, they could endure even being under the black rain. The weak and small people had also finished evacuating inside the aurora of extreme light.
Therefore, there was only a minimum barrier laid out at the breeding farm. The path toward the breeding farm was exposed to rain. Although the trailer was solidly made and could endure for a while even inside the black rain, naturally the mortal danger wasn't small.
The expression of the Qwailent soldier was exactly the face of someone who was resolved for death. Agreeing with his words, one after another a part of Qwailent's soldiers and people advised of the danger zone that was allocated to Avenst people and they asked for permission to rescue them.
Roze stared back at them and a beat later she strongly nodded.
「I'll leave the detail to you. Take all life to here!」
「-, Yes-」
Receiving Roze's gaze, the soldiers of Avenst released the binding of Qwailent soldiers even while making a slightly troubled smile. The soldiers who were staring dumbfounded at their hands that were released from binding gritted their teeth at the next moment and rushed away.
『Cline, you are listening right? Please send out all the small ships you can possibly field and evacuate the people at the outer part vicinity without distinction of enemy or ally!』
『Understood. I have already throwing in the confiscated vehicles too for the rescue activity. What's left is if we can activate the palace's barrier……we can only wait for the report of the ground force we sent there……』
『……If only gramps is here』
If Sabas was here, then surely he would be able to activate the palace's barrier. The force entering inside the palace too might be seeking Qwailent soldiers' cooperation right now. But……
People were gathering continuously toward the palace. People with weak limbs, injured and sick people too, they were supported by other people and desperately escaped here. But, as for the people who were in distanced place from the palace, in the end could they reached the place before the barrier Kuwaibel made vanished?
But, at that time, the aurora fiercely shook.
『Kuwaibel-』
There wasn't any reply from Kuwaibel. Surely he didn't even have the leeway for that anymore. The aurora was trembling further and flickered.
Roze was feeling uneasy. And then, as though detecting that,
「-, the barrier is!?」
It wasn't a yell because the barrier crumbled. It was the opposite. A silver barrier was deployed with the palace as the center as though to overlap the aurora. A report from Cline『This isn't the suppression squad's doing!』came to Roze. There was definitely someone in the palace who activated it, but it seemed it wasn't the suppression squad.
Furthermore, several sky battlecrafts were flying up from the fleet's mooring dock. Those planes were lining up from the outer part and they hovered in place. And then they circulated all their energy into barrier and formed an improvised rooftop. As expected they couldn't cover the whole area, but they succeeded in creating a path until the palace.
That controlled action was obviously something that came from someone in Qwailent's side giving out instruction.
「Just who in the world……」
『Fumu, it looks like the evacuation route at least made it in time.』
A voice reached the muttering Roze through the radio. It was a calm voice that possessed depth. The voice of an important person she was thoroughly familiar with. It was,
『Gramps!?』
『Yes, Roze-sama. This is gramps here.』
Yes, the one at the other side of the radio was Sabastian who should be left behind in a scene of nearly certain death!
『You are safe!?』
『Yes, somehow. The imperial guards who remained with me are also safe.』
The unbelievable story caused Roze to think 'As expected, Gramps might be something other than human……' and felt shudder more than happiness. As though guessing the emotional state of such Roze, Sabas replied back with voice that had wry smile mixed in.
『I'll speak the detail later on slowly. Rather than that we have to hurry the evacuation now.』
『Tha, that's right. Is the palace barrier and sky battlecrafts barrier gramps doing?』
『Yes. More accurately I captured a close aide of Qwailent's king, so after talking a bit with him, he become a pawn――cough-, a cooperator that help us.』
『Lies-. This old man is a demon-. Doing such thing at me――za-~~~』
Right now, it felt like there was some kind of screaming voice from the other side……. Before Roze could ask back, the words of Sabas『Silas-kun, don't make me do something that pained me so much』came and at the same time a short scream could be heard……
『Roze-sama. It was a splendid speech just now. It seems that Silas-kun is also inspired by your majesty's words that he give us his full cooperation happily. Other than the barrier control, I also obtained the weapon control just now. I'll support Kuwaibel-sama right after this.』
『Ah, yes.』
Sabastian――he was just too excellent. Roze's talk unconsciously became halting language.
But, at that time,
「GAAH!!!」
Terrible impact sound surged at the same time with a cry that was oozing with pain. Looking there, a tower that was a slight distance away from the palace was tilting greatly and cloud of dust was rising up from its foundation. The tilting of that tower became even more drastic and then it collapsed right away.
『Kuwaibel-』
Roze understood even without looking directly. That scream came from Kuwaibel. And then, it was also Kuwaibel who was blown away by an impact so great it could destroy a tower. There was also no voice that responded to Roze's call.
『Something like hope, doesn't exist.』
The answer that came instead was a voice that had no intonation as usual, yet it was boiling with negative emotion to the limit. When she turned her gaze there, behind the palace――right above the breeding farm was the figure of Helmut clad in black miasma.
Black miasma was spreading each time he beat his wings, coiling around like a vortex. The black dragon scales that looked viscous didn't reflect the slightest bit of light and swallowed all light without leaving any behind.
Helmut's jaw was opened largely. The abnormal energy that was instantly focused in that mouth made Roze and others felt goosebumps on their back.
『There is no way I'll let you!』
Cutting through the rising cloud of dust, a streak of extreme light stretched to the sky and pierced Helmut's flank. The impact tilted Helmut's body, and the next moment the fired Helmut's breath attack grazed above the city's upper part and passed through.
Right after that, it pierced the land at the city's outer part that severely quaked along with a thunderous sound that sounded like scream. The vibration that rivaled a great earthquake caused the people who couldn't keep standing to scream and tumbled down one after another. During that time Helmut's breath wholly collapsed a part of the outer part that was directly hit.
Without even any time to shudder at that, Helmut turned his cloudy dragon eyes to below. Just with that, the miasma he was clad with crystallized as though it had substance――no, he was taking in the surrounding rain and crystallized it. It turned into twisted and warped spears and they became an excessively vicious squall that showered the ground.
In respond, Kuwaibel climbed to the sky and created a meteor shower. The swarm of light bullets met the spear of black rain that could be mistaken as black crystal and they neutralized each other, but the shooting that could even be thought as infinite was gradually making the interception not making it in time.
『Anti-air firearms control all free! Intercept them!』
Sabas's command caused the pillars and outer walls everywhere in the palace, and the garden and rooftop to let out anti-air weapons and they fired. The flare bombs that were included with the ration of one every dozens of shots colored the stormy sky. Those high caliber weapons splendidly destroyed the black rain spear that Kuwaibel didn't manage to deal with.
『All retainers-. Save our friends!』
Kuwaibel called out using the slight leeway that was created. The dragons who received the king's divine protection simultaneously scattered to the city. They were going to save their friends――the people who were late in evacuating.
『The resupply is finally finished. Sky battlecraft force, we are returning to the front line now!』
『Averia also can move!』
『Rozeria is all ok too-. We're reinforcing Kuwaibel-sama!』
Avenst's main force that had used up most of their ammo in the battle against the defense fleet now returned to the battlefield. The most elites among elites that Bovid personally picked up danced to the sky, Averia and Rozeria also had finished the minimum resupply and headed toward Helmut.
『This is Higgs squad. We are composed of planes loaded with Sythesizer. We are joining under the command of Avenst sky battlecraft force. Cooperation will be difficult, but give us instruction as you please!』
『This is battlecraft launching control room. The firearm control of the harbor is under control. Now reinforcing!』
The sky battlecraft force of Qwailent was flying toward the direction of Bovid and others. With the exception of the sky battlecraft squad that was deploying barrier, planes that could attack using sound wave were gathered up to form this improvised force. The person who seemed to be the leader was like a completely different person than a certain someone just a bit of time ago.
At the same time, the anti-air weapons that were installed at the military port area aimed their turret toward Helmut all at once.
――Without any distinction of enemy or ally, all people took each other's hand in order to live for tomorrow.
『……Insects.』
Helmut's voice rang for the first time. It was faint, but the voice was definitely filled with something like "displeasure".
『Perish.』
Helmut's breath was fired once more.
Kuwaibel flew up and cut in on the line of fire. He similarly fired his breath. Jet black and extreme light clashed above the palace, the barrier of the palace was fiercely rippling just from the after shock.
『Guh, uuguh』
Kuwaibel leaked out a pained voice. The extreme light was gradually getting pushed back. His strength was genuinely that of a grown up dragon, but he wasn't a match against Helmut.
『Synthesizer, activate!!』
『Averia, Rozeria, fire the main cannon at the same time!』
Qwailent's sky battlecraft force evaded the black rain spear while emitting weakening sound wave at Helmut. At the same time, Averia and Rozeria fired their main cannon. Two streak of flashes joined Kuwaibel's breath and assaulted Helmut like a trident.
But,
*GOU-*
Black miasma exploded. The whirling miasma bloated up so much it caused such vision, the sound wave and also the airship's main cannon were blown away altogether. In addition, Helmut's breath that drastically swelled up swallowed the extreme light.
『No way-, he is still holding back!?』
What Kuwaibel could do was immediately forming barrier with maximum power. The barrier of light formed in front of his body blocked the breath's direct hit and it raised a scream. Kuwaibel couldn't even hover and he was getting pushed toward the ground.
『Your back is wide open yeah-』
『Concentrated fire!』
Bovid and Sabas carried out attack like surging waves. Numerous missiles rushed Helmut.
But,
『Wha-. Goddamn it!』
『Controlling weather……it's just like the legend.』
Countless tornados fell down from the sky. They spiraled and rolled up the flying missiles which were pulverized inside. Before the missiles could reach their target, all of them exploded inside the tornado and bloomed flowers of flame blast.
『Kuh. Ro, Roze-. Everyone-, get them away……from the palace-』
『Kuwaibel!?』
『The spring's power-, is already-』
The monarch dragon power that he stocked up from the【Spring of True Dragon's Tear】ran out. The halting words of Kuwaibel conveyed his strength's limit. The power he poured into the barrier surpassed the limit to defend Helmut's breath. Kuwaibel's strength was decreasing just like water flowing into a bucket that had a hole opened.
The aurora covering the city was already gone. He was genuinely just barely on his limit……
『Kuwaibel-sama! Please take this!』
The barrier would be smashed. Just when everyone thought that, the next moment a missile ran toward Kuwaibel. It was an unexpected attack from ally, however, Kuwaibel didn't move. Rather, his eyes shined in happiness.
Roze was also feeling the same.
The reason was, because that voice,
『Jean-. You are safe!?』
『Yes, your majesty. The others are also safe. As expected, I thought I was dead but, that crimson light――no, let's put that aside for now. Rather than that, it's improvised, but we prepared missile warhead filled with the spring water. I estimated that the water will have effect just by splashing it on Kuwaibel-sama's body, am I mistaken!?』
Just what in the world happened……the wounds of Jean and others were obviously in the level that was beyond help, but they seemed to be alive. And not just that, they seemed to reach the spring that was still opened and created improvised missiles to transport the spring water.
It seemed the explosive of the missiles that were impacting one after another had been reduced, they broke before Kuwaibel's dragon scales and splashed him with the water inside. Kuwaibel gave his thanks『I'm fine, thank you!』.
As though to show that the water was definitely the real thing, the strength of the weakening Kuwaibel was restored. The barrier recovered its radiance and his body that was pushed back returned to a hovering state. And then, he fired a breath of extreme light with his restored strength. The breath blasted away several tornados and without stopping it hit Helmut.
Furthermore, Cranks squad led by Bovid slipped through the route where the tornados vanished using miraculous maneuver and they fired their missiles. All those hit the area around Helmut's face and scattered grand flame blast and shockwave.
『I don't know anything about your despair. For me who was born after everything was over, I cannot even imagine it sufficiently. But, however-, because you are my sibling-. I only understand that I have to end you no matter what!』
Kuwaibel charged with his body clad in light.
The only monarch dragon in the world. He had a lot of people who were like family to him, but a sibling who was related to him by blood was only this fallen existence before his eyes. A howl that was like a scream surged that he was going to kill with his hand the older brother who he met for the first time since he was born.
Helmut's muddy dragon eyes that looked like it wasn't seeing anywhere caught Kuwaibel. There was no reply. Was his intelligence already unable to do that much? Or else had he abandoned it already as unnecessary?
Without caring of those questions, Kuwaibel performed a tackle of all his might toward his elder brother's body using his body that was clad in extreme light.
The sound of impact between fellow dragons was played, the friction was fierce and sparks scattered.
Helmut's body was distanced away from the palace. Without pause Kuwaibel tried to bite at Helmut's neck.
――GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!
A violent shockwave attacked Kuwaibel. It was just a howl. Yet despite so, the extreme light covering Kuwaibel's body was blown away, Kuwaibel himself was also tasting an impact that paralyzed his whole body and he was blown away.
Kuwaibel formed countless light bullets and fired them while this time his claws lunged the moment their body passed each other.
『Gua!?』
The dragon claws didn't even graze. The moment Kuwaibel swam in the air, Helmut's tail scythed down on his face like a counter.
Even while rotating once midair, Kuwaibel fired light bullets randomly, but they were erased by black rain spears that Helmut fired in twice the number, several spears smashed up Kuwaibel's dragon scales. The piercing black rain spears inflicted simple wound, and more than that they began to display the effect of causing necrosis to flesh.
Kuwaibel almost screamed spontaneously feeling the excessive pain, but he swallowed it and fired his breath. The radiance of extreme light was erased just with a shockwave from Helmut's howl.
『Kuwaibel-sama-』
『Fire the main――』
The sky battlecraft force, airship Rozeria and Averia, the people handling the anti-air weapon on the ground, everyone of them tried to help Kuwaibel somehow but,
――GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!
The evil dragon howl surged once more. But, this time it had slightly different disposition. At the same time with the howl, the miasma Helmut was clad in became ripple that spread through the battlefield. The effect was dramatic.
『aa……』
『-』
What could be heard was such soundless screams. The sky battlecrafts were falling as though they were losing control. The movement of the airships was also turning simple and they showed no sign of firing their main cannon. The anti-air weapons on the ground also felt silent.
『Kuwa, ibel. The miasma is……enveloping, everyone-……』
Words from Roze barely reached Kuwaibel to inform him of what was happening.
Monarch dragon was an existence that bestowed divine protection to the people. Then, what would a fallen monarch dragon bestowed?
Despair. Terror. Nihility that robbed the will.
Silver light vanished, in exchange black miasma coiled around the people. Everyone fell on their knees powerlessly. As though they were begging forgiveness at evil dragon Helmut.
『Everyone-』
『Everything perish.』
Kuwaibel tried to grant them divine protection in hurry, but Helmut didn't allow that. Countless black rain spears showered Kuwaibel's body, his dragon scales were smashed and his flesh gouged.
What he could do was only somehow making the falling sky battlecraft force to have emergency landing. Naturally, his divided concentration thinned down the defense of his own body and several spears jut out from his body.
Kuwaibel endured the scream that almost leaked out and he emitted extreme light from his whole body, erasing the spears.
Kuwaibel roared while charging forward. He swung his claws, but they were instantly dodged and he was struck down from overhead.
In that case, he pretended to tackle and just before they clashed he rolled, he then similarly unleashed a tail attack, but as expected it was easily dodged and his chest was tore apart with a diagonal claw slash.
He fired light bullets. The black rain spears doubled in number and attacked him.
He fired breath attack. It was returned back with double the might.
The attack from his claws and fangs, and also his tail, everything was overturned with counterattack.
His tackle with his body that was clad in extreme light wasn't even dodged anymore as though to show the difference of their level.
『-……a……guru-……i』
His body was truly wounded all over.
Even though he had obtained the strength of grown up dragon, even if Helmut had lost his sanity, the full-fledged difference in experience was cornering Kuwaibel. There was no way a young dragon who was born a few years ago could possibly match a veteran monarch dragon that had lived for a few hundred years.
It looked as though an adult was handling a child who was stubbornly charging ahead.
Helmut's gaze was averted from Kuwaibel as though he lost interest. Ahead of his gaze was the palace. The people who were gathered there.
『Don't-』
『Despair for the world. Serenity for the world without light.』
Helmut fired his breath.
Kuwaibel cut in on the line of fire with his torn up body.
『GAH, aAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!』
A shriek that couldn't be heard as scream or howl surged. The barrier was scattered away. Kuwaibel became the people's shield using his body. He desperately resisted and somehow damped down the attack's power, although he was unable to defend to the end and got blown away.
His back struck a corner of the palace and a part of the building collapsed. Buried under rubbles, the figure of Kuwaibel who was letting out repeated small breaths was atrocious even only seen from outside. There wasn't anywhere unharmed on his chest, the spot was hideously burned so much that anyone would spontaneously want to avert their eyes. It was hard to search for a spot on his body that still had unharmed dragon scales.
「Kuwaibel-. Ku-chan!!」
Roze who rushed toward him even while enveloped in black miasma leaped toward Kuwaibel who was half-buried under the debris. She was desperately pulling down the debris.
Presence of death descended from the sky.
「Evil dragon, Helmut-」
Helmut opened his jaw as though something like Roze's yell wasn't even registered in his eyes. Light that would destroy everything was converging in the blink of eye.
*gara-* The sound of debris collapsing rang. At the same time extreme light surged out and formed many layers of barrier.
「Ku-chan!」
『I'm, fine, here. I'll, absolutely……protect』
The horrifying black that looked like compressed from miasma became a streak of light and surged. The barriers of extreme light that Kuwaibel deployed splendidly blocked that personification of death.
Blood spray burst so grandly it felt like *pshew* sound could be heard. Kuwaibel firmly stepped on the ground on all four and he desperately maintained his barrier. But the more he held on, the more the wounds all over his body were spurting out blood.
Roze was at a loss for words. She felt frustrated, she hated herself who was unable to do anything, she merely stayed close beside her partner.
『Pointless.』
Helmut's cold voice could be heard.
『I, don't think so-』
Several layers of barrier were blown away. Kuwaibel emitted extreme light from his whole body while roaring as though he was burning his soul.
『Despair.』
『A king, absolutely won't despair-』
One more layer of barrier was smashed.
『Give up.』
『I won't, break my promise-. I won't, discard my mission-』
He had made a promise with his partner. He swore that he would become a king.
『Perish.』
『I'll live. With my life on the line. We will――』
Finally the last barrier creaked. Cracks entered it with ominous sounds.
But, there was no color of resignation in Kuwaibel's dragon eyes. He understood that at this rate he would die. There was also no other way left. However, his soul that he had already proclaimed out, that was the only thing that he couldn't betray!
That was why, at the very least he would roar. Toward the world, toward the evil dragon that was created by human's karma.
『I'll surpass you, and advance to the future ahead of this-!!!!』
The barrier bro――
『That's a wonderful howl. Blessing for that noble soul.』
He could hear a voice. A gentle voice that was warmth, that gave the impression of motherhood.
『Boy. Thou couldst not oppose an enemy of higher rank using strength. Look, avert it like this.』
『Eh? Aa……』
Kuwaibel was enveloped by jet black light. It wasn't the black like Helmut's muddiness. If it had to be said, it was a magnificent black that reminded one of the night sky. It didn't hinder or paint over Kuwaibel's silver light. In harmony it displayed a blessing with radiance of black silver.
Perhaps what happened next was its effect. Inside Kuwaibel's brain, "the way to use strength" flowed in as image. Kuwaibel controlled his last barrier following the image, as though he was being guided.
Immediately, the barrier of light whirled fiercely, at the same time the barrier was angled. The whirling light scattered Helmut's breath from the tip of the direct hit, and then it was further vigorously averted toward empty sky.
The breath paused. Helmut's gaze ran toward unrelated direction as though he sensed the existence of an intruder.
『Come on, don't be in a daze boy. This place art a battlefield. Breath attack!』
『Fua!? Yes-』
The figure couldn't be seen, however that person's words floated inside his brain. Kuwaibel who didn't understand what was going on immediately obeyed. He released a breath of extreme light toward Helmut who was looking another way.
『Now, fly up. Higher and higher, take Helmut's above! Know that in an air battle, the one below art the one in disadvantage.』
Kuwaibel flew up, Ignoring the pain all over his body. He only maintained his breath attack while flying up to far above.
Helmut dispelled the attack with a howl as though it was only an annoyance. And then, he fired a breath at Kuwaibel.
『Be conscious of gravity. Grasp the wind caressing thy wings. If thou art a race that rule the sky, don't fly with only thy power. The nature there art exactly our greatest ally.』
『Be conscious of gravity. Grasp the wind. The nature is exactly our ally.』
Images were flowing in. He descended in a straight line toward the approaching breath while his wings moved slightly to grasp the wind and changed the flow. Just with that Kuwaibel's body spiraled unbelievably and he dodged the breath as though it was skimming his back.
Kuwaibel descended beside the breath with fierce momentum as though his own body became a counter.
『Read the future. How wouldst he react against thy speed, physique, and eye motion? Go toward that future.』
『Read the future. My attack, where will it head to?』
What emerged on his brain was the replay of the happening from just now. An imagination of smooth evading motion overlapped with Helmut in the real world like an illusion. Kuwaibel matched his movement with the illusion Helmut that was starting to move, and he swung his claws ahead of that.
『-……』
The claws of Kuwaibel that passed through Helmut without decelerating were smeared with Helmut's broken scale and blood. When he changed his wings' angle just like his imagination, his direction changed drastically at the same time with an intense centrifugal force.
There, Helmut launched countless spears of black rain.
『Read the line of fire. It's also important to conduct oneself so there wouldst be no one to cover behind thy back. Accurately move with necessary amount, to the necessary place, at the necessary time. Charging forward, or taking role as shield in self-sacrifice, they art not something to be used recklessly.』
Kuwaibel took a sharp turn because he understood that Helmut would attack when he exposed an opening after dealing an attack. There was nothing behind Kuwaibel's back after he turned. If there wasn't any need to protect anything, he could easily endure things like the black rain spears with just several shots of light bullet.
The "way of fighting" was conveyed to him one after another. Completely different from his shoddy fighting before this when he would defend right from the front when he was attacked, or how he would go in a straight line when attacking, his maneuver right now that was accompanied with "tactic" was increasing Helmut's wound by one, and then one more.
In proportion with the number of wound, glimpses of irritation were starting to be faintly visible from Helmut.
Tornados were falling down as though to block Kuwaibel's route, but he used even those whirling winds and nimbly danced in the sky. His flying skill that was gradually getting polished was finally turning into something that could even evade the black rain spears without him needing to use light bullet.
Helmut's gaze went away from Kuwaibel and turned into the palace once more. That was because he knew that if he attacked there, then Kuwaibel would be forced to defend them.
『Boy, thou understand correct? Teach him what art the cost of taking off his eyes from the enemy in the battlefield.』
『Yes, yes-, Haha-ue!』
『o, Ou……oh no, this art the first time I'm called as mother……』
It seemed the voice was agitated, but Kuwaibel who reflexively called like that from his subconscious was already in concentrating state. He was focusing his light in his mouth, however, it was slightly different from before.
The breath of extreme light was fired *DOU-*. It shook the air. Helmut ignored the attack as though to say that it had been demonstrated that he wouldn't be seriously damaged from that, he was about to release his breath toward the palace――
『――, ii!? Gaa!?』
The extreme light pierced Helmut's chest. The breath was thin, it was compressed until the extreme limit, furthermore the breath was added with spiraling motion in order to increase its penetrating power. Without pause Kuwaibel moved his breath in a mowing motion.
Helmut avoided getting his body bisected because he immediately twisted his body, but the spot from his chest until his shoulder blade was wholly cut apart. One of his arms was dangling down limply, it was in a state where it was connected only by a bit of flesh and skin.
Helmut turned his gaze toward Kuwaibel with naked hatred,
『GURYAH!!』
『-』
He opened his eyes wide toward the jaw of Kuwaibel who had already approached until before his eyes. Kuwaibel was firing his piercing breath while approaching. Helmut whose stance was broken didn't have the leisure to evade that, Kuwaibel's jaw snapped at one of his wings.
Without pause Kuwaibel rolled midair and bit off the wing with a twist.
A shriek rang out from Helmut for sure this time. Kuwaibel used his rotating motion and launched a tail attack that was fully filled with centrifugal force. He struck down the shrieking Helmut to the ground.
『That attack art not bad. Now, boy. Hone thy mind keenly. The might of thy breath doesn't rely only on energy. Possess a strong heart. Unshakeable will, resolve, they art what make a dragon's howl(breath) powerful!』
『Yes, Haha-ue. ……I'm finishing this, brother.』
Extreme light illuminated the world. He could imagine the way to knead power. Because he received the guidance from the warm existence.
The chest of Kuwaibel who was bending his body greatly backward was getting bigger, Helmut looked up to the sky from the ground. The dragon eyes that contained iron will crossed the dragon eyes of despair and hatred.
Right after that, a streak of etreme light pierced toward the ground, like the judgment of heaven. It fiercely shook the floating island and enveloped Helmut.
The world was illuminated by light of aurora.
The extreme light that pierced the floating island also opened a big hole in the sea of clouds and pierced toward the lower world.
And then……
The extreme light vanished into empty air. After that there was nothing remaining.
The body of Kuwaibel who was unsteadily flying powerlessly was gradually getting smaller while he returned toward Roze's position.
「Ku-chan!」
『Rozeee』
By the time he returned at Roze's position, Kuwaibel had completely returned to his former size. Roze hugged such Kuwaibel to her chest.
「You are amazing-. You are cool-. You are without a doubt, the greatest king! You are the pride of dragon kingdom.」
Roze rubbed her cheek on Kuwaibel while trickling tears. Kuwaibel also pressed his cheek fawningly. And then, they stared at each other while listening to the people who were rushing toward them while noisily raising joyful cheers. The grinned widely at each other.
「You did it, partner-」
『I did it, partner!』
Both of them were so wounded to the degree it was unthinkable that they were royalty. But, for the people who were rushing toward them, they were unmistakably king. The people of the dragon kingdom couldn't help but shedding tears toward the one human and one dragon cuddling close at each other.
Roze and Kuwaibel turned toward the people together.
And then,
Flash surged.
It rushed toward the two, like the judgment from heaven.
「aa」
『Roze-』
Roze was dumbfounded. Kuwaibel could do nothing but calling her name. Death illuminated the two, the scythe of the death god was swung down.
「To lose focus even though the dark cloud art not even clearing up……that's a great reduction on thy point, boy.」
With extremely thick black flash overhead, when anyone realized, a beautiful woman wearing an outfit that was a blending of eastern and western――Tio Claus was there with one hand raised up.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
When I gave up making scene of quick peerlessness, for some reason Ku-chan came out to the front.
Shirakome's plot generally isn't breathing……
Now then, it has become the last day of this year.
Various thing happened through this year, but I think that it was mainly a fun year.
I believe that uploading in Narou, and then getting healed by the harmony that everyone of Narou people showed me are surely a big reason of that.
Really, thank you very much for this year.
Regarding the extra compilation of Arifureta, there are still characters that I want to write.
And so I'm thinking that next year too I want to continue and post Arifureta.
I'm thinking that next year too I'll be able to have fun again with everyone of Narou people, so please take care of me.
My objective for next year is decidedly "to keep my words".
Also, I'm thinking if only I can write some kind of new story…
I still don't have any plot, but what I can say with certainty is, it will be a full throttle of Shirakome's hobby similar like Arifureta, and above all it will surely be an opportunism story that Shirakome can enjoy.
If it please you, I'll be happy if we can enjoy ourselves together again.
Well then all of you Narou people, have a good year.
I look forward to working with you again next year!
Tomorrow I will upload the last chapter of Tio arc. The subtitle will be "To the Morning of Falling Star". I'm thinking that perhaps subtitle "The Day the Demon God was Born" will be fine too, but it felt like it will overlap with a certain Geass person so I altered it.
I won't specify the time. Because I get the feeling it will be overlap of objective with early New Year.
But, even saying that, I'll give advance notice of just this.
I'll also upload the special New Year chapter. I haven't think of anything yet though!