◆ Hunter’s Nest ◆
It was so enormous that the word “giant” barely did it justice. If Zeech, who fought in the Wizard Kingdom, was a giant, then that dragon could look down on him. The difference was so vast that it felt like Zeech was almost cute in comparison.
“Dragon God… I apologize…”
“If you cannot move, then sleep.”
Unlike Lord Daigami, this dragon spoke clearly from its mouth. However, the volume was enough to make one want to cover their ears, assaulting the eardrums with sheer force. The mere sound was a violent force that could shake all living beings into submission. In just one word, the ferocity, irrationality, and destructiveness of the Dragon God expanded in my mind like a vivid image.
There was no sign of concern for the fallen Dragonfolk around us. On the contrary, this Dragon God might just crush them underfoot without a second thought.
“Kurinka is the girl over there, isn’t she?”
A head wrapped in scales that were neither black nor blue, evoking the image of an abyss, looked down directly at us. More than half of the Dragon Hunters and those who had barely escaped their homes were not even trying to flee. They stood there, wetting themselves, unable to tear their eyes away from the otherworldly giant. Their dazed expressions suggested they had almost lost consciousness.
“From today, you will be my bride. Come here.”
“N-No way…”
“Either this place becomes a wasteland, or you come to me. I am giving you the special option to choose.”
Just from this exchange, it was clear that this creature was more stubborn than any Dragonfolk. It was not a threat; the devastation of the Hunter’s Nest beneath its talons told the whole story. Just its heavy breathing could send debris and people flying.
Right now, what I was thinking about was whether I could defeat this creature. To be honest, I never expected it to be this immense. Its size was already unfathomable. If it dodged my Sonic Spear with that bulk, I would be utterly helpless. Moreover, if it unleashed its breath from above, I would be fine, but without a doubt, all living beings would perish.
No, above all, I couldn’t let the damage spread any further. Right now, Seigel and the others who could still move were doing their best, but if the Dragon God’s mood changed, it wouldn’t matter how far we ran.
“After thousands of years, I have decided I want you. Your golden hair, your pure, unclouded eyes, your white, untainted skin… The vision I saw decades ago, as I lay in slumber, was so dazzling it awakened me. I want you to be my lifelong companion and build a prosperous future together. I have no other intentions.”
You want her simply because you like her. You don’t think about the other person at all. This is what a Dragon God is like; no, this is how Dragonfolk are, I thought.
There was no point in hoping for a conversation; I needed to get Kurinka away from this Dragon God as soon as possible.
“The Dragon God… rarely awakens… It was none other than Kurinka who roused him from his shallow slumber…”
Anima knelt, clutching her pierced abdomen, blood seeping through her fingers. Despite her ragged breaths, she did not forget to show respect to the Dragon God. What were these Dragonfolk? Were they so devoted to the Dragon God, or were they simply terrified?
If Anima’s words were true, then the Dragon God usually slept, and upon waking in a daze, had seen Kurinka.
No, I still couldn’t forgive the Dragon God. Why? Because of that.
“Dragon God, I won’t let you have Kurinka.”
“Kurinka, ride on my back.”
“No way!”
“Is it the insect at my feet that is misleading you? Then I shall crush it.”
The Dragon God’s foreleg rose high, then dove down. Finally, people began to scream and flee from all directions. If that foot landed, no one would survive.
I spread my arms above my head and jumped. I aimed for the descending foot of the Dragon God, with the sole purpose of nullifying its impact. Given its size, I wasn’t sure if I could stop it, but I was the only one who could try. If I possessed the power to break the absurdity that Lord Hast spoke of, then I should be able to stop it.
“Ugh…?!”
In the end, I succeeded in deflecting the Dragon God’s foreleg in the opposite direction of its fall—upward. However, when the unexpected resistance caused the Dragon God to stagger, my heart nearly stopped.
Before it could fall, the Dragon God flapped its wings and soared into the air, which saved me. But the wind pressure from its wings blew away the roofs and walls of nearby buildings. Just the presence of this Dragon God was causing the damage to spread.
For the first time, the Dragon God’s gaze shifted from Kurinka to me. If an ordinary person were to be glared at by those eyes, they would likely faint from the sheer weight of its presence.
“What incredible power… It is as if you are that cursed child over there.”
“…Cursed child?”
I expected to be more surprised, but the Dragon God uttered words I did not anticipate. It exhaled through its nostrils, surveying the landscape visible from its high vantage point.
Was it determined to take Kurinka with it, no matter what? It was absurd that such a massive dragon wanted to marry Kurinka. If it were a dragon, it should marry another dragon. Wait, could Kurinka also be a dragon?
“I ask you, girl. Do you think Kurinka can continue to live in the human world as she has?”
“I do. If you’re talking about her wings, I can think of plenty of ways later.”
“That is futile. There is no place for that girl in the human world.”
“Why not? Just because you want to marry her doesn’t mean you can say whatever you like.”
“Kurinka is not human. She is a cursed child, an abominable being that transcends the laws of this world… A being that possesses blood that is both human and not human…”
Thanks to this exchange, the area was now completely devoid of people. If it had decided to rampage at that moment, we would have been obliterated without a chance to escape. The orderly evacuation was likely thanks to Seigel’s guidance. I wanted to believe he had ensured I could fight to my fullest when the time came.
“Kurinka, don’t listen to anything that creature says.”
“I’m fine. Unlike yesterday, I feel much calmer now.”
Kurinka’s smile, even in such a dire moment, was irresistibly endearing. But her voice trembled slightly. She was undoubtedly terrified and anxious. It was only natural; how could she remain calm when being pressured to marry such a colossal being?
I wanted to embrace her, but first, I needed to deal with the Dragon God.
“Once, this world was home to various races. Races that were similar yet different from humans, yet far superior in many ways. Why do they no longer exist in this world? Because they were all exterminated by humans.
Those who looked different, those who excelled in various aspects—humans have never had the capacity to accept them, neither now nor in the past. They were all eradicated. Or perhaps they were hunted to extinction, driven by insatiable desires.
The Dragonfolk sleeping here were once hunted as well. Only a few survived, and there is no place in this world that will accept them.
Kurinka’s situation is slightly different, but it is the same. Girl, you are trying to bring misfortune upon Kurinka.”
“I won’t let her be unhappy! I will protect Kurinka, and we will be happy together!”
“Do you boast of having the spirit to live even when stoned and scorned?
No matter how extraordinary your power may be, the spirit is separate! Eventually, it will wear down and exhaust itself! Living will become a torment! The end will be destruction! Why can you not understand this?!”
“Not everyone is like that! There are people who will understand her!”
“Then count how many humans are willing to accept that power.”
“Well, um… Seigel and Ai, and… Gantetsu too…”
Monster. The word thrown at me echoed in my mind. The retired Adventurers and the Dragon Hunters from today. Even strangers were distancing themselves. I didn’t want to admit it, but I had been avoiding this truth until now, and now I had no choice but to accept it.
A cold sensation began to spread deep within my chest. I felt as if I were being crushed by a fear I had never considered before, yet I did not avert my gaze from the Dragon God. If I did, it would feel like I was escaping from both the Dragon God and reality.
“Remember, Kurinka. Recall the day you reveled in slaughter as a dragon.”
“N-No, stop…”
“Remember the pleasure of killing foolish humans who worshipped the title of Dragon Hunter and sought your life for profit. That is your instinct.”
“No… Lua-chan, I’m fine… So please don’t abandon me…”
“I would never abandon you! Dragon God! If you make Kurinka suffer any longer, I will take you on myself!”
“Rip, pierce, crush, incinerate! Show me your true form!”
“Noooooo!”
With a soft light, Kurinka’s wings on her back expanded nearly twice their size. The light I had seen on the Ghost Ship enveloped Kurinka, transforming her into a dazzling entity. The light shifted from white to gold, gradually taking shape.
With large bat-like wings, a dragon’s head and neck, sturdy legs, and short arms, the golden silhouette before me was exactly as I imagined a dragon to be.
“Yes, that is your true form.”
The satisfied voice of the Dragon God looked down upon me and the dragon that was once Kurinka, now transformed. Wrapped in shimmering golden scales, she was about three times my size. While not the largest dragon, this was still Kurinka. She held her head high, her neck arching gracefully, yet she remained utterly still.
“K-Kurinka…”
“Futile. Your words can no longer reach her. Now you understand, she is an existence that cannot coexist with you.”
“…Kurinka, it’s me.”
I pressed my hand against her rigid scales, tears welling in my eyes as I pleaded. The thought of Kurinka rejecting me in this form terrified me. I couldn’t bear to think that she might have forgotten everything just because she had become a dragon.
“At least, I shall call you by the name you had as a human. Kurinka, come here.”
Kurinka remained motionless. The slight flutter of her wings suggested she was still conscious. I refused to let go, clinging tightly to her, determined not to let her slip away. I would never release her.
“To start, shake off that one. She is an unnecessary presence for you as a dragon.”
“Kurinka! Please, don’t go! Don’t you remember me?!”
Finally, Kurinka lifted her head. Her gaze was fixed on the Dragon God. The intersection of her slender eyes and the Dragon God’s piercing glare was palpable.
“Now, come.”
With a small flap, her wings moved powerfully. Kurinka’s feet left the ground, her golden body floating into the air. She made no attempt to shake me off, but neither did she embrace me.
“No! You can’t go!”
“Futile.”
At the Dragon God’s cold command, Kurinka ascended higher. Slowly, she flew up to the level of the Dragon God’s head and came to a halt.
“This is sufficient. Now, you need not concern yourself with humans.”
【Kurinka unleashed her Flame Breath!】
“Wha—”
A stream of fire shot straight from Kurinka’s mouth, striking the Dragon God directly with a radiant burst that resembled magic.
【You cannot inflict damage on the Dragon God!】
“…I see.”
“Kurinka…?”
The Dragon God seemed to come to a conclusion, leaving me bewildered. Kurinka began to descend slowly to the ground. As she landed softly, she bent her long neck to gaze at me, still clinging to her.
“…It’s okay.”
A familiar, soft, and translucent voice emerged from the dragon’s mouth. Though she had taken on the form of a dragon, it was still Kurinka. It took me a few seconds to fully comprehend this.
“Kurinka… Do you remember me?”
“Yes…”
“Thank goodness… I was so worried that you would forget me after becoming a dragon…”
“I can still move my wings. Look.”
She flapped her wings cutely, and I couldn’t hold back any longer, hugging her even tighter. Though she was far too large to be held completely, she was warm. Kurinka’s head rubbed against me from above. To an outsider, it might look like a dragon was fond of a human.
But both Kurinka and I were human at heart. No matter what the Dragon God said, that would never change. At that moment, I couldn’t hold back my tears. Not from sadness, but from joy. Because no matter if she was a dragon or anything else, Kurinka was still Kurinka.
“…Foolish.”
The Dragon God’s voice was terrifyingly low, carrying an unmistakable fury. His claws extended sharply, as if to grasp the earth itself. Then, in the next moment, he took a deep breath.
“You foolish creature! I should have forcibly brought you to my lair back then! You dare mock me! It has been hundreds of years since I have been treated with such contempt! What will you do with my wrath? This land can bear it no longer! All species that roam this earth! Fear! Perish! Become extinct! Witness the greatest power on this earth while remaining oblivious to your own weakness!”
【The Quake Ruler Dragon God has appeared! HP 1,023,000】
The earth trembled under the might of his deafening roar, making it futile to cover my ears. This land was not the one to bear the wrath of the strongest creature.
“You will face me!”
“I’m with Lua-chan! Who do you think you are?! Take that!”
Kurinka stuck out her tongue at the Dragon God, and I stood my ground, unyielding. The Dragon God’s mouth opened wide as he looked down at us.