Shishou theorized that the particles of light emitted from my entire body by 【Iron Rose】 were the magical power heat that accumulates in the body when using a 【Battle Art】.
By constantly releasing something that should normally take time to release, it allows the Battle Art, 【Iron Rose】, to be in a continuous state, but that release leads to massive consumption of magical power.
Shishou can also use 【Iron Rose】, but he consumed 10 magical power per second. The reason I only consume 1 magical power is, just as a skill level is required to use a normal Battle Art, I thought the necessary condition to handle 【Iron Rose】 was my ‘pinkish-gold hair,’ which changed color, indicating it had received a spirit’s blessing.
【Iron Rose】 is not a weapon skill, but a 【Battle Art】 of Physical Enhancement.
『Physical Enhancement』 strengthens physical abilities by circulating magical power throughout the body, but compared to consuming 1 magical power in about a hundred seconds, 【Iron Rose】 consumed a hundred times that amount.
This means that 【Iron Rose】 is not a Skill, but rather 【Non-Attribute Magic】 akin to Battle Arts.
Magic and sorcery are techniques that interfere with the principles of the world through magical power. Therefore, I thought that the magical power heat released by 【Iron Rose】 also possessed the 〝power〟 to interfere with the world.
“――【Iron Rose】――”
My pinkish-gold hair changed to a burning ash-iron color, and magical power heat overflowed from my entire body as particles of light.
I felt that this state of being clad in particles of light was similar to Shishou’s 【Blaze】.
When I use 【Iron Rose】, I cannot use other 【Battle Arts】.
When I use 【Iron Rose】, I cannot use other 【Sorcery】.
I can use them if I force it, but with Battle Arts, the magical power heat goes berserk and my body becomes immobile, and with sorcery, the magical power consumption doubles. This is because releasing the magical power heat causes the Magical Element necessary for normal sorcery to disperse.
That’s why I construct sorcery that can only be used in this state.
“――【Real Breaker】――”
I will destroy your reality. My power, having reached Rank 5, gained nearly five times the speed of an ordinary person, and within a perceived time stretched to twice its normal length, I left the Black Dragon’s swung claws behind.
The Black Dragon’s claws, swung again, tore through the 〝me〟 that had passed by, and the particles of light extending from the Black Knife I gripped rejected the Black Dragon’s reality through 【Illusion Magic】.
Everything I wield is an illusion. The particles of light, wielded as a Blade, dealt no damage whatsoever, making the Black Dragon perceive them as real.
〝Illusion〟 and 〝Reality〟――〝Darkness〟 and 〝Light〟.
Like lightning-type sorcery, dual-attribute composite sorcery has a high degree of difficulty. A composite of opposing attributes like light and darkness is sorcery of a level that an ordinary person normally couldn’t handle, consuming enormous magical power just to activate, but I made it possible by turning the constantly emitted particles of light I was clad in into sorcery.
An illusion created by Dark Magic. To that, Light Magic bestows a sense of reality and presence as if it were alive. I traced my actual form in reality, clad myself in it, and by moving violently, left it behind, manifesting multiple 〝me〟s in the world.
『GROOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!』
The Black Dragon roars. Even if they are all illusions, to you, they are 〝reality〟.
The Blade of illusion and reality slashes the Black Dragon. The pain of 〝death〟 carved into Karla shreds your mind and draws closer the 〝death〟 that should be a distant concept for a dragon.
If I run, they follow; if I stop, they overtake my body. These corporeal illusions painted over the Black Dragon’s hatred-filled mind with 〝fear〟, throwing it into confusion.
The Black Dragon tries to fire a lightning breath. That’s the correct answer. If it wants to do something about my current self, it has no choice but to use an area-of-effect attack. But that’s a bad move. In response to my attack designed to create an opening, you’ve exposed a fatal one.
I leaped onto the head of the Black Dragon that showed an opening, gripped the Black Dagger with my doubled strength, and plunged the Blade deep into its crimson eyes, which wavered with unknown fear.
Only Karla can kill me. Only I can kill Karla.
Black Dragon… you are not the 〝strongest〟 I aim for.
“Now!!”
The moment I leaped away from the Black Dragon, which was spouting blood from one eye, Dolton raised his voice, and everyone who had believed my words and been waiting, leaped out at once.
“――【Holy Flame】――!”
Shishou’s fire sorcery exploded, erasing the dark Magical Element enveloping the Black Dragon, burning its body and lowering its defense.
“――Blades of wind――!”
As if in concert, Mira’s spirit sorcery, unleashed, whipped up the holy flame, and as the blades of wind tore off its weakened scales, Viro aimed for the moment the Black Dragon, regaining its sanity from the real pain, lowered its head, and fired an all-out strike.
“――【Sniper Shot】――!”
Viro’s perfectly aimed strike pierced the Black Dragon’s remaining eye, and the moment the Black Dragon’s scream echoed through the ancient ruins, Nero’s roar, as if overlapping it, shook the atmosphere.
『GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!』
Nero’s body shot out like an arrow, and an ancient claw art Battle Art, whose name I didn’t even know, using Nero’s roar as a medium, tore the Black Dragon’s neck.
“――【Hell Slash】――!”
As the Black Dragon lost its balance, Feld, who had been the first to leap in, flashed a ferocious smile as if baring his fangs, and unleashed a full-power Battle Art.
BAKIIN!!
The Level 5 Battle Art, said to have been created by spirits for the Hero, shattered the Black Dragon’s horn even as it snapped the Magic Steel greatsword that had clashed countless times, and then, with the broken tip, slashed its brow.
“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!”
Dolton, letting out a war cry, swung his halberd high and brought it down with full-power Physical Enhancement.
“――【Fury】――!!”
The Two-Handed Axe Level 5 Battle Art, a Battle Art that increases in power the more damage its user takes, converting anger into attack power, slammed into the neck Nero had torn, and a massive amount of blood gushed from the half-severed neck.
『GROOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!』
Still, the Black Dragon wasn’t dead. The dark Magical Element enveloping the Black Dragon, which had received a torrent of attacks, thickened, and the Black Dragon, once again consumed by hatred, let out a roar of fury.
Both its eyes crushed, its entire body burned and slashed, yet the Black Dragon still tried to unleash its lightning breath as if spitting a curse.
But then, the Shadow running behind Dolton slammed a Magic Steel two-handed axe into the opposite side of the neck from Dolton.
“――【Iron Break】――!!”
The Battle Art unleashed by Jesha slashed like scissors with Dolton’s halberd. It was the same spot where Jesha had first unleashed his Battle Art, and he plunged his Blade in as if to gouge the wound even deeper.
However, the breath the Black Dragon was about to unleash didn’t stop. It should have been a fatal wound already, but still, the Black Dragon’s hatred for humans was trying to make it fire that last breath, even if its body perished.
“URRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!”
Realizing this, Jesha and Dolton put all their strength into their weapons, shouting as they tried to sever the Black Dragon’s neck.
Feld’s sword was broken, and Shishou’s and Mira’s magical power, having unleashed great sorcery multiple times, was at its limit. Small blades like arrows or daggers wouldn’t stop the Black Dragon. But… I won’t give up until the very end!
“Jesha!!”
Using 【Iron Rose】, I called out as I ran full-speed from Dolton’s direction. Jesha, whose eyes met mine, let go of the two-handed axe embedded in the wound and drew a one-handed axe from his waist.
“――【Raging】――!!”
Blood spurted from Jesha’s right arm, who had unleashed Battle Arts in succession.
“DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
The Battle Art wielded by Jesha’s bloodstained arm slammed into the embedded two-handed axe, driving it deeper.
《――Damn you… damn yoooooouuuuuuuuuu!!――》
Its neck half-severed, the Black Dragon spat curses, wreathed in lightning.
《――Damn you, humans!! I’ll never forgive yoooooouuuuuuuuuu!!――》
Black Dragon. I won’t ask you to forgive me. Controlled by the Evil Race, your freedom stolen, you have every reason to seek revenge. But—
“You should already be dead.”
If you dare lay a hand on what’s precious to me… you are my enemy.
“Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
I unleashed the full power of Iron Rose’s Physical Enhancement, leaped in from the side opposite Jesha-san, and slammed a full-power kick into Dolton-san’s halberd.
CLAAAAANG!!
The Blades that finally met, like scissors, lopped off the Black Dragon’s head. As a final act, the Black Dragon’s head, as if roaring towards the heavens, unleashed a thunderous lightning breath.
—THUD.
With a heavy sound, the Black Dragon’s severed head fell to the ground.
Clouds gathered slightly in the sky where the lightning had struck, and as rainwater began to fall from them, its coldness made us finally realize our victory. We sank to the ground as if collapsing, and I was finally able to speak to everyone, who were at last smiling.
“Everyone… I’m back.”
It’s finally come to a conclusion! At last, they are Dragon Slayers.
It was an incredibly close battle, but since Aria’s weapons aren’t suited for defeating enormous Monsters like dragons, this is how it had to conclude.
The next update is scheduled for Saturday, April 10th. The first volume will also be released in bookstores at the same time!
If you happen to see it in a store near you, please do pick it up and take a look!