The Central Sea Region.
“If that’s decided, it’s first come, first served! Efil!”
“Yes!”
“Ah, that’s sly!”
As Efil unleashed a Multi-headed Fire Dragon with a quick shot, Gerard, who was on Boga, leaped over to it and headed towards the Machine Dragon. Realizing they had been preempted, Sera quickly initiated full armament with Demon Fist Crimson Battle Rage.
“Hmm, hmm. It’s a bit irritating that Victor’s techniques are mixed in, but my ‘Blood Dye’ has been properly inherited! Bel seems to have gained Eliza’s power, and while Sebastian Del’s leg techniques would be nothing short of perverted, when my daughter uses them, they are the pure pinnacle of beauty! Hah, what an excellent daughter Serabel is. Hmm, perhaps the future of Grellverelka is incredibly bright?”
“Father, no more idle chatter! Prepare for battle quickly!”
“Right! I was thinking the same thing all along!”
Receiving Sera’s words, Gustav immediately shifted into a combat-ready stance. He clenched his fists, letting his anger, which was his power, seep into his body. However, it seemed the activation of his abilities wasn’t going well.
“Hmm, my anger isn’t quite there. When I’m with Sera, happiness always overrides it… Alright, I’ll imagine a heartwarming scene between my foolish son and Sera and then—!”
Gustav, whose killing intent had spiked and awakened him instantly, strained himself. The blue veins that emerged from his skin tore open, drenching his giant body in a torrent of blood. He used Blood Manipulation Technique to form a sturdy weapon, creating horns, claws, and blades covering his whole body, similar to the armament he displayed in the battle against Kelvin. Furthermore, he held a crimson Crescent Moon Blade in his hands, transforming into an even more enormous form.
“As expected of Father, you know how to use your abilities in a cool way! The shape you constructed is also a masterpiece!”
“That’s not—! Get—!”
Gustav, with an expression whose anger or joy was hard to discern, charged forward with Sera. If the one being threatened had any emotions, they would likely have taken a step or two back just from his appearance. However, facing this attacking unit was a silent Machine Dragon. Regardless of who the opponent was, it was a machine that calmly carried out its defense. The Machine Dragon began to raise its arms again.
Gerard was the first to approach the shield deployed by the Machine Dragon. This time, he seemed to plan on striking directly with the Demonic Sword Dainsleif, rather than using any flying slashes. Matching the Multi-headed Fire Dragon’s acceleration, the tip of his Greatsword was directed at the target.
“Fuhhnn!”
The collision of the Demonic Sword and the barrier generated a tremendous shockwave, scattering the Multi-headed Fire Dragon that carried Gerard. Although Gerard lost his footing, while falling, he applied pressure to the Machine Dragon’s shield with his Demonic Sword, continuously attacking it with a vertical slash.
“Nuuu—…!”
The Demonic Sword Dainsleif absorbs the magic power of anything it touches. Although its effect of ‘Heavenly Ruin’ was imbued from the first blow, its power dramatically increased when in direct contact. Gerard further boosted its performance with his Unique Skill ‘Self-Transcendence,’ and by slashing through the angelic armors flying around him along the way, his own abilities temporarily increased with ‘Glory to My Hands.’ Gerard’s attacks, which he unleashed one after another, were repeatedly strengthened, leaving clear scars on the Machine Dragon’s shield, which boasted absolute invincibility.
“Nunn!”
The final swing during his fall was especially powerful and formidable. It tore away a significant portion of the magic power and durability from the shield’s surface, absorbing the power into its ebony blade.
“Whoa, what wild magic power! I’ve lived a long time, but this is my first time experiencing such a wild beast! Boga!”
“Yeah, Master! I’ve been waiting!”
Below the falling Gerard, Boga’s spacious back was already waiting. Gerard would be fine even falling from a height on the ground, but the situation changed if the landing spot was the sea. Since his body was covered in armor, Gerard was not good with water and couldn’t swim. While he could simply materialize, it was predictable that he would refuse with inexplicable pride as a knight. Boga, who had been the sword elder’s companion for some time, seemed to sense Gerard’s disposition and began to act instantly.
“But before that— I shall return the excess portion! Heavenly Ruin!”
Just before landing, he swung again, releasing an enormous, jet-black slash. Its scale was incomparable to the Heavenly Ruin that had been blocked once before; it was a special仕様 that used the Machine Dragon’s absorbed magic power generously. The attack precisely traced the vertical line on the shield that had been whittled down, once again scattering a large-scale shockwave.
“Whoa!?”
“This time it’s down—…!”
“Gyuuuuuun!”
The secondary damage from the exchange of blows in this otherworldly battle was not something to be trifled with, so Traage’s Airship was keeping its distance from the battlefield, flying at a considerable range. However, even so, the shock shook the ship, causing clumsy individuals to stumble, or even blowing Guin away. It felt like a distant scream of an unfortunate Beastman could be heard from somewhere in the sky, but it was probably beside the point. It was no time for that!
“Got a response!”
The slash that ascended to the heavens cracked the shield, producing a satisfying sound like shattering glass. Then, in the next moment, the barrier protecting the Machine Dragon crumbled apart.
“Whoa, Master, that’s amazing! Couldn’t you have destroyed the barrier of that huge ship by yourself?!”
“I just returned the absurd amount of magic power as it was. That Ark also has the property of blowing away those who approach, so it’s a different matter. However, there is still work to be done.”
The Machine Dragon could freely generate that shield from both hands. If they were to celebrate after destroying it once, it would likely create the same shield again in an instant. To prevent this, the demon father and daughter, who were painting the field red, charged forward.
“Father, hurry!”
“—Sera—don’t—fall—behind—!”
Coinciding with the timing Gerard destroyed the troublesome barrier, Sera and Gustav flew towards the Machine Dragon’s both arms. They struck the left and right arms, which were about to deploy the shield again, with their fists and slashed with their Crescent Moon Blades. Dull thuds and high-pitched metallic sounds echoed.
“Ittsu…! This is tough!?”
The Machine Dragon’s body was completely covered in the armor of the divine machine Deus ex Machina. Its arms were no exception. Even when receiving the full force of Sera’s charged punch and Gustav’s slash head-on, the Machine Dragon’s armor showed no sign of damage.
“Tha—dd—! Our—true—flesh—is—here—!”
“What a coincidence, I thought the same thing! — ‘Don’t get in the way!'”
“‘Sera—do—as—I—say—!'”
As they attacked, the two’s blood adhered and quickly spread from the Machine Dragon’s both arms to every corner of its body. With the blood of two people, the effect and efficiency of Blood Dye doubled, and Sera and the others had already gained control of most of its body.
“While controlling it as it is is also an option, Kelvin would probably be overjoyed to release it. So, Efil, I’ll leave the rest to you!”
“Leave it to me.”
Faced with the defenseless Machine Dragon was a bright green inferno, pouring all of Efil’s firepower. An arrow, imbued with all the power of Burst Fire Dragon, Blue Flame, and Loomyl’s power, was now loosed from Efil’s bow.
“—GAAH!”
“Whoa!”
“—! ?”
Perhaps it was its last resistance for self-defense. A part of the armor covering the Machine Dragon’s head, where blood had not yet circulated, was released, exposing its internal mouth. From there, the Machine Dragon emitted a white beam, presumably a Dragon’s Breath, and resisted Efil’s arrow.
“Ga, ah…”
The Machine Dragon’s white counterattack, which could rival the breath of a Dragon King, was powerful. However, this time its opponent was ill-matched, and it was in a situation where all its freedom, except for its head, was taken away. Efil’s serious arrow was not something that would be deflected by such an imperfect entity. The Machine Dragon, with its head pierced, fell into the sea engulfed in flames.
