Episode 185: The Dragon’s Advance
The swarm of Dragons that entered Japanese waters headed straight for Ibaraki, as experts had predicted.
Fighter jets from the Air Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Forces Japan scrambled to intercept the Dragons. However, the air-to-air missiles fired from the fighters failed to reach the Dragons’ hides, exploding harmlessly in mid-air.
They were blocked by the ultra-high temperature 【Magical Barrier】 emanating from the Dragons.
Furthermore, the “Flame Breath” unleashed by the Ancient Dragon reached hundreds of meters, engulfing and shooting down any fighter jets that couldn’t evade it.
Nothing could stop the Dragons’ advance.
With the 【Red King】 leading the charge, the swarm arrived above the “Seeker’s Town” in Ibaraki, where the Dragon King halted in mid-air.
Flapping its massive wings, it gazed down at the town below.
Hundreds of Ancient Dragons spread out around it, watching the 【Red King】’s every move. The Dragon King’s gaze was fixed on a white dome that towered over the town.
Inside was the second-largest 『Red Dungeon』 in the world.
The crimson Dragon King opened its monstrous jaws, gathering fiery Magical Power within its mouth. The compressed Mana transformed into a scorching Fireball.
【Second Stratum Magic】 to detonate fire, and 【Third Stratum Magic】 to freely manipulate the shape of fire.
This was the ultimate form of attack using these two Fire Magic spells.
The Fireball, spat out from its mouth, hurtled towards the dome at breakneck speed.
It pierced through the roof of the building, striking the Dungeon’s entrance directly, unleashing a massive explosion accompanied by intense light.
The force was enough to obliterate the entire “Seeker’s Town” in an instant.
Dust and smoke billowed into the sky. As the smoke gradually cleared, a gaping Hole could be seen in the Dungeon.
The Red Dragon King gathered even more Magical Power, spitting out another Fireball from its mouth.
The ball of flame was sucked into the Hole, creating a massive pillar of fire accompanied by a deafening roar.
The 【Red King】 didn’t let up. It repeatedly fired Fireballs into the Hole, relentlessly attacking the gaping wound.
The earth of northern Kanto trembled, registering as an earthquake.
After seven Fireballs, the Dungeon had a deep, bottomless vertical Hole.
Even if the Mana Density in the air increased and Monsters began to appear on the surface, some Monsters would still be unable to emerge.
These were the larger Monsters. The entrances connecting the Dungeon’s strata weren’t large enough, so only small to medium-sized Monsters could pass through.
The only exception were Monsters capable of destroying the Dungeon itself.
And if the Dungeon could be destroyed, the large Monsters in the Depths could also be released.
From the 『Red Dungeon』 with the gaping Hole, a faint sound could be heard.
A piercing shriek and the sound of countless wings grew louder and louder. What emerged was a swarm of over a hundred Dragons, a massive horde of Ancient Dragons.
The released Dragons joined their brethren, circling in the sky as if drawing a ring.
Clouds hung low, swirling like the eye of a typhoon. The sunlight was blocked, and the surroundings grew dim.
The atmosphere trembled, and only the red light emitted from the Dragons’ bodies glowed eerily.
A fixed-point camera installed in Ibaraki captured the scene, transmitting it via fiber optic cable to the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo.
“So many Dragons were in the Red Dungeon…”
Takakura muttered, watching the large screen installed in the main hall.
Since the Red Dungeon hadn’t been fully explored to its Depths, it was unknown what kind of Monsters lurked within.
“Over three hundred… there’s no way we can stop a group like that.”
Yasugi from the Dungeon Association spat out the words in a trembling voice. Yasugi had been visibly disturbed since the meeting with the IDR.
He remained silent, even appearing frightened.
–Or is that the same for everyone else?
Takakura looked around, confirming the faces present.
Politicians, researchers, and bureaucrats had been gathered. They were currently in the Crisis Management Center, located on the first basement floor of the Prime Minister’s Office. It was a facility that would serve as the government’s headquarters in the event of an emergency.
An idea to evacuate to the countryside had been proposed, but it was decided that directing operations from underground was the best course of action, as it was unknown where the Dragons would head.
However, it wasn’t a nuclear shelter, so a direct hit from the 【Red King】’s Fireball would easily obliterate it.
Takakura turned to see Prime Minister Iwaki sitting at a large conference table.
He was still holding his head in his hands, looking down.
As the nation’s leader, he should be inspiring everyone at a time like this. With that dissatisfaction in mind, Takakura turned his gaze back to the monitor.
The swarm of Dragons, now a much larger group, left the ruined “Seeker’s Town” and began to move.
Towards Kanto, where the evacuation was still underway.
◇◇◇
“Hey! The cars aren’t moving at all. What’s going on?!”
“What are the police doing! Don’t they care about saving us?”
“It’s hopeless! Let’s abandon the cars!!”
In Tokyo, the road network was in chaos, with massive traffic jams caused by immobile cars.
The government had urged residents to evacuate through the internet and police car warnings, but people were flocking not only to the roads but also to train stations and airports, paralyzing all functions.
In the midst of all this–
“Oh! Aisha, you managed to get out too.”
Kanzaki, now sporting a full beard, rushed over to Aisha in front of the detention center.
Due to the declared state of emergency, those held in the detention center were temporarily released and evacuated.
Aisha frowned at Kanzaki, who was delighted to be released from the detention center.
“You’re too carefree. And what’s with that scruffy beard?”
“Hmm? This?”
Kanzaki put his hand on his chin, stroking his beard.
“I thought I’d grow a beard for a bit. It’s not a problem, is it?”
“I don’t care about your face.”
The two of them were on National Route 1 in front of the Metropolitan Police Department, witnessing the people fleeing in panic.
“Did you hear? Apparently, some monster called the 【Red King】 is heading this way.”
“Yeah, but I heard it passed through Japan yesterday… what’s going on?”
“Anyway, let’s get out of here.”
“…Right.”
Kanzaki and Aisha ran out onto the main street.
“I have to go to the company. I need to meet up with Tanaka-san and Maika.”
D-Minor was in Chiba, so they needed a car to get there. However, the traffic jam made it impossible for cars to move.
“Damn it!” Kanzaki said, frustrated. Aisha hesitated beside him.
When she heard that the Red King had passed through Japan, she thought it was because Yuma-kun was there, and it avoided the fight. She was probably right.
But if it had returned despite that…
“Could it be… is Yuma-kun dead?”
“What?!”
Kanzaki stopped in surprise at Aisha’s words, which she muttered with a serious expression.