We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
An ancient hero and a new heavenly wing.
“Airi-san!”
“Oh, Elnea-chan. What a coincidence meeting you here?”
“No, no, it feels like you came to cheer us on, right?”
Airi-san answered with a beautiful smile that captivated me, accompanied by a fufufu.
In the northern part of Dragon Peak, in a mountain range known with awe as the Dragon’s Mausoleum, Airi-san lives.
Her role is to give the final peace to ancient dragons who have grown old or injured and have little time left, at the Dragon Altar located in the center of a lake formed in the crater of a dormant volcano. Her dedication surprises even the Dragon Race.
However, about Airi-san…
“Ah, could you be… my o-”
“Whoa there, child of the Divine Race. You mustn’t say such unrefined things,” Airi-san interrupted.
Airi-san smiled at Alf-san, but there was an undeniable pressure behind it. Even the Divine Race’s Alf-san fell silent under Airi-san’s pressure. Just then, others appeared.
“Honestly. Airi-sama, please consider us old folks a little.”
“I can barely keep up with chasing you.”
“My, you’re much younger than me, yet so sluggish?”
Chasing after Airi-san were Jiludo-san, a former Eight Dragon King, and Laza-sama, the current Eight Dragon King. And accompanying them was Jewel-san, a one-winged Heavenly Race member.
“And why are you always so youthful, Airi-sama?”
Jiludo-san’s question was valid. However, for ordinary members of the Dragon Race, Jiludo-san and Laza-sama were already living remarkably long lives. Putting that aside, Laza-sama offered a kind, grandfatherly smile. “I’ll help with my humble strengths. It’s just that I want to witness the young Dragon King’s exploits up close.” But as she smiled, she instantly repelled a swarm of attacking demons.
Three small, long-bodied dragons floated and swam around Laza-sama. At first glance, they appeared to be real dragons, but they were all illusions created by Laza-sama’s Dragon Arts. Yufilia and Nina could replicate parts of a dragon’s body using similar Dragon Arts, but theirs were clearly identifiable as Dragon Arts. Compared to those, Laza-sama’s Dragon Arts were remarkably skillful and superior.
“From here on, the miasma will become much thicker.”
“Airi-san. And the miasma cloak is formidable!”
As I spoke, a sense of dread sent a chill down my spine. I quickly issued a warning, and we threw ourselves to the ground. Immediately after, an invisible miasma cloak emerged from the miasma fog. It slowly and creepily drifted over our heads. We held our breath, waiting for it to pass.
But then!
“A-Airi-san!?”
Airi-san was the only one standing, not crouching on the ground. The miasma cloak approached her. Just as I thought she was in danger, Airi-san moved. With a feminine, graceful movement, she dropped into a crouch, then lightly sprang up. She unfurled an elegant roundhouse kick.
“Hah!”
With a deep battle cry! To my wide-eyed gaze, the miasma cloak was torn apart. No, to be precise, the miasma cloak was dispelled by Airi-san’s purifying kick and vanished into mist!
“This is nothing compared to that dragon’s curse back then, is it?”
Airi-san smiled, and I remembered. That’s right. When we visited the Dragon’s Mausoleum, Airi-san had come to our aid in the same way. I calmed myself. The Dragon Race reigns supreme with overwhelming power. Of course, they surpass even monsters and demons. And yet, the Dragon Race once unleashed a terrifying curse. Compared to the Dragon Race’s curse, the miasma cloak was… !
“No, no, it’s just as ominous!”
I almost got swept away by Airi-san’s casual remark! But we mustn’t be fooled. The one cloaked in miasma is currently the Demon King, whom the dragons are attacking in unison. However, looking at it from a different perspective, the situation seems similar to when we visited the Dragon’s Mausoleum. The malevolent miasma that filled our surroundings no matter how much we dispelled it, and the miasma cloak that attacked us by surprise. At the Dragon’s Mausoleum, we were not only hindered by the miasma generated by the dragon’s curse, but were also attacked by dragons whose peace was disturbed if we let our guard down. Comparing the two situations, I understood that it was a familiar scenario, and my anxious heart calmed down.
However, not everyone can switch their mindset as I can. Alf-san and Amira-san, belonging to the Divine Race, seemed to have less combat experience and were peeking around nervously while staying low.
“Well then, let us make our stand here,” Jiludo-san said, getting up with a grunt. “From here on, we’ll leave it to Airi-sama and the young Dragon King.” Jewel-san also bravely stood up.
“Jewel, Jiludo and I will establish a formation here. You shall support us,” Laza-sama instructed.
“Yes, I will provide my assistance.”
Establish a formation? Jiludo-san cast a meaningful glance at Wender-san, who also tilted his head in confusion. Everyone else was also looking at Wender-san. Was I the only one who didn’t understand the meaning of Laza-sama’s words? And was what Laza-sama was about to do related to Wender-san?
“This is astonishing. While it’s natural for the Divine Race and Jewel-dono to know, I never expected the Dragon Race people to see through it as well.” Wender-san said, offering a wry smile and speaking powerful words.
“My eyes see through all things, divine and mundane.”
“Ah!” I exclaimed. The distant scenery, which should have been hidden by the black miasma, was somehow visible. Moreover, it didn’t feel like it was being projected into my vision, but rather like my mind was directly perceiving the distant landscape that someone else saw.
“Is this…?”
“Through my divine arts, I have borrowed the gazes of others. And I am now transmitting them to those gathered here,” Wender-san explained.
“Wha-! Such a thing is possible!?” Momo-chan exclaimed.
Wender-san was doing with divine arts what Momo-chan did with magic, projecting distant scenery onto a crystal. However, it seemed he needed to borrow someone’s gaze to see far away. And while Momo-chan’s viewers could only see the image by looking into the crystal, Wender-san’s divine arts seemed to allow him to share the borrowed vision with chosen individuals. So, that’s what Thousand Eyes of the War God meant! However, I felt a slight discomfort with Wender-san’s divine arts. With such a powerful divine art, Wender-san must be under considerable strain. And whose gaze was he borrowing right now? Wender-san answered my question without hesitation.
“There was someone in this land with a power similar to my divine arts. I’ve been utilizing that. Also, thanks to the Sage’s kindness, some generous Spirits are also cooperating. However, my power has its limits. That’s why I wanted to stay by your side as much as possible.”
“Someone similar?” I asked further. Wender-san replied with a wry smile, “A demon with the head of a krokodile turtle.”
“I see! So, that demon was looking at various places in the Wyvern Hunting Ground with those creepy eyes covering its mouth!” I realized.
And the Sage must be Alicia-chan. Wender-san had secured the cooperation of the Spirits in advance. One could call him a former War God, for his ability to foresee an uncertain battle situation and prepare in advance shows accumulated experience and deep consideration.
“If I’m close to you, I can reduce my burden. After all, I just need to expand the vision reflected in my own eyes. However, it seems I cannot proceed further. Still, Laza-sama is likely being considerate so that I can stay as close to you as possible.”
Establishing a formation here meant staying put and supporting Wender-san. And Laza-sama, who would be setting up the barrier, would be supported by everyone else.
“So, Jiludo-san and the others knew about Wender-san’s divine art from the beginning?”
“Hahaha. After all, ever since the Demon King fell to the surface, we’ve been able to see various landscapes.”
“Ah, I see! That’s why!” It seemed Jiludo-san and the others had already benefited from Wender-san’s divine art. Or rather, perhaps everyone gathered at the Wyvern Hunting Ground, except me, had! “No, even I am not omnipotent. The Thousand Eyes Divine Arts were repelled by the Demon Lord and powerful Dragon Race members.”
I see. The proud Demon Lord and ancient Dragon Species would naturally reject external interference, even if it was beneficial. Because they possess power, they would not easily utilize others’ power and would protect themselves from influence out of pride. Nevertheless, the Demon Lord and the ancient Dragon Species should be able to perceive their surroundings and track our movements on their own.
“Or rather, everyone at the Wyvern Hunting Ground is still aware of my presence!?” I hastily struck a pose, but it was too late.
“Hahaha. We could see everything, including when you hastily prostrated yourself earlier.”
“Oh, no…” I slumped my shoulders in despair, and it felt like the entire Wyvern Hunting Ground erupted in laughter. That’s right. Wender-san’s Thousand Eyes Divine Art could perceive distant landscapes, but it didn’t have sound. Nevertheless, by observing our interactions, they could naturally understand what we were doing. I could imagine everyone laughing while we fought. Even in a harsh battle, a moment of respite is necessary. So, I would be happy if our exchanges could ease their worries even a little. However, I couldn’t show them my pathetic state forever. Alf-san and the others seemed to agree, and they valiantly destroyed the monsters and demons that suddenly attacked, breaking through the black miasma fog. Laza-sama, meanwhile, began to gather Dragon Energy to deploy her barrier. But then, the miasma cloak attacked again! Silently, it approached amidst the dense miasma fog, and suddenly appeared. We scrambled to evade.
“Augh, it’s annoying to get hit like this so many times!” Jiludo-san grumbled as he unleashed his Dragon Arts, while also evading the miasma cloak. The Dragon Arts he released struck down a monster that had suddenly gotten close, taking advantage of the attention being focused on the miasma cloak.
“As I thought, it’s no good that we can’t sense them until they get close,” Laza-sama said after the miasma cloak passed, maneuvering her three small, long-bodied dragons. The dragons, created from Dragon Energy, swam in circles and gradually expanded their radius around Laza-sama.
“Ah!” I cried out in surprise. The long-bodied dragons opened their mouths and began to devour the surrounding miasma. That wasn’t all. Anyone sensitive to Dragon Energy would understand: the long-bodied dragons were consuming not only the miasma but also the power leaking from the Dragon Veins and the remnants of Jiludo-san’s Dragon Arts. As they absorbed miasma, Dragon Vein energy, and Dragon Energy, the bodies of the long-bodied dragons gradually grew larger. Their bodies elongated, and from their formerly cute forms, they eventually became so massive that they were indistinguishable from real dragons. Still, the three long-bodied dragons continued to consume the surrounding power. As we watched in astonishment, the dragons grew even larger and expanded their swimming radius. The space consumed by the long-bodied dragons became clearer, with the miasma dispelled, improving visibility. Furthermore, thanks to the wide diameter they secured, we wouldn’t be caught off guard by the lumbering miasma cloaks and demons.
“Laza-sama, you’re amazing! To think you could leverage surrounding power to enhance your own techniques!” Laza-sama maintained the three magnificent, lifelike long-bodied dragons, which continued to float in a continuous circle, maintaining their perimeter. The area within the dragons’ orbit became Laza-sama’s barrier. The miasma was continuously devoured by the three long-bodied dragons, unable to penetrate the barrier. It was a Dragon Art that was impressive both in appearance and power. However, Laza-sama herself, while maintaining the Dragon Arts, should not be under too much strain. After all, the power needed for the technique was being drawn from the surrounding miasma and the remnants of others’ techniques. Laza-sama, who wielded such incredible techniques with minimal effort, was truly the best Dragon Arts user. Praising her, I saw Laza-sama blush with a wry smile.
“It’s nothing, just living up to my name as one of the Eight Dragon Kings. Besides, your wives have already done something similar, haven’t they?”
“Now that you mention it!” Ruiseine effectively utilized not only the Miko’s magic power but also the Dragon Veins to cast powerful magic. Sefina-san could also fight by skillfully utilizing the techniques of others. Yufilia and Nina complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It was true that my wives were skillfully using something other than their own power to perform techniques for everyone.
“You have already reached the state that I took many long years to achieve. You are the truly splendid ones.”
“Thank you! I’ll tell everyone that Laza-sama praised us!”
“Hahaha. You’re making me blush. Well then, esteemed Messenger of our Dragon God, please quickly defeat the Demon King. And you, Jewel. Leave the aerial defense of this place to me, so that the Messenger can proceed without worry. After all, the old Jiludo alone won’t be able to handle it, will he?”
“Naturally. As the inheritor of the Dragon Jewel, I have my limits,” Jiludo-san said, but then launched Dragon Arts at a demon that had breached the long-bodied dragons’ barrier, defeating it. It seemed the long-bodied dragons’ barrier could dispel miasma, but it had no effect on monsters and demons themselves. That’s why Jiludo-san and Jewel-san needed to be asked to eliminate monsters and demons that invaded the barrier. But wait a minute! “Um. Jewel-san, about that…?” We hesitantly looked at Jewel-san’s back. Jewel-san, who was once hailed as the undefeated Divine General among the Heavenly Race, had lost one of her beautiful wings due to complex circumstances in the past. Laza-sama said she would entrust the skies to Jewel-san, but wouldn’t that be too burdensome? Even birds cannot fly with one wing. Jewel-san couldn’t fly with just one wing, right? Moreover, winged races have difficulty moving on the ground due to their large wings. Considering this, wouldn’t the burden be too great for Jewel-san? However, as if to dispel my doubts, Jewel-san spoke powerful words.
“With my Heavenly Wings, I shall soar the world.”
“Ah!” I let out a breath of surprise. No, I wasn’t the only one surprised. Alf-san was astonished, Amira-san held her breath and gazed at Jewel-san. Even Wender-san, the former War God, widened his eyes and stared intently at Jewel-san. Jewel-san unleashed powerful words, and before her spread a pair of brilliantly white wings.
“Your lost wing…!” Wender-san exclaimed in disbelief. However, it was clearly reflected in our eyes. The figure of a wing, truly present on Jewel-san’s back, which until now seemed so painful to look at.
“I sought guidance from Laza-sama. Apparently, the ultimate secret of Dragon Arts is to turn imagined phenomena into reality. If that’s the case, perhaps the same height can be reached with divine arts, and thus, we devised this technique,” Jewel-san explained. I see! Laza-sama is an unparalleled Dragon Arts master among the Dragon Race. And Jewel-san, despite being of the Heavenly Race, is a genius who skillfully manipulates divine arts. The two of them, transcending racial boundaries, created a new technique. Long ago, Oruta, whom we confronted at Dragon Peak, also used overwhelming Dragon Power to perform terrifying techniques like matter transmutation. With a similar technique, Jewel-san regenerated her lost wing!
“Leave the aerial defense to me. Now, Elnea-dono, and Airi-sama, please proceed.” With those words, Jewel-san flapped her beautiful wings and took flight. She launched a surprise aerial assault on the demons that had penetrated the barrier created by the three long-bodied dragons, defeating them with her graceful movements. Jewel-san soared through the sky with her brilliantly white wings, relentlessly annihilating monsters and demons.
“Jewel-chan is amazing, too. Well then, we can’t be outdone, can we?”
“That’s right!” We can’t afford to be left behind. It would be a disgrace to the organizers if everyone else got all the action. Besides, with everyone watching, I can’t afford to look pathetic.
“Well then, we’re off!”
“Ah, go on. And as the Messenger of our Dragon God, fulfill your role completely.”
“Yes!” Watched by Jiludo-san and the others, I and Airi-san stepped further into the miasma fog.
