The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

Ariante watched over the battle between Rēko and the self-proclaimed kin with a look of impatience.

The self-proclaimed kin intended to use the doll as a shield but Rēko with her “the bonds that mark one who aims to become a kin and stuff” didn’t remotely bother herself to care.

From earlier, Rēko swiped her claws of light with the doll caught up in its attack.

「…Not good. I don’t know what will happen to the ones inside if you forcefully destroy the barrier from the outside.」

Rēko, who was using long range attacks, was now starting to fight in close quarters.

With a step that shook the earth, she dove into the opponents range within the span of a single breath and aimed her dagger at the self-proclaimed kin’s black cloak- specifically the left side of his chest where his heart was.

「Aiming for my vitals without hesitation, how scary how scary.」

However, even while being pierced by the dagger, the self-proclaimed kin was still at ease.

On the contrary, having succeeded in her attack, Rēko created a few openings in her defense to which the self-proclaimed kin took the chance to return a counter kick.

Rēko guarded with one of her arms and without being able to offset the force, she was blown backwards.

「…You, what are you?」

「Like I have said many times already. I am the same as you, Lord Revendia’s kin.」

After Rēko landed, she looked with eyes of vigilance.

Different from the battle with Ariante, this time she wasn’t low on magic power. Under this situation, there was never a case where someone could fight head on with Rēko.

「I don’t wish for a fight between fellow kin. If due to the results of our disagreement one of us is lost, wouldn’t Lord Revendia feel sad? How about it? Do you have any intention of sheathing your blade?」

「I have no intention of listening to your lies.」

「Ohoh, as I thought, you’re bothered by your friend who is still inside this doll right?」

Rēko answered “Like hell I care” instantly.

「I simply feel that your words are full of deception. On the surface, you put on the guise of a kin but I can feel that you don’t have any respect towards the Lord Evil Dragon. You… do not understand the Lord Evil Dragons heart at all.」

「I wonder just who doesn’t understand that guy’s heart…」

Ariante unintentionally leaked out her true feelings but as expected it was ignored by Rēko.

However, the words spoken by the self-proclaimed kin seemed shady even to Ariante. Though Rēko was always running out of control from her self-serving interpretations, it could be felt that she always respected Revendia.

From this self-proclaimed kin, nothing of that sort could be felt.

「Someone like you, I will make sure you disappear here.」

Rēko swung her dagger again and an uncountable number of claws of light appeared again.

Not good. An attack like that with no specific target will hit the doll with no mercy.

「It can’t be helped- I need to find an opening and take that doll.」

Ariante planted her greatsword into the ground and slammed her gauntlets together.

If the self-proclaimed kin’s focus is on Rēko then she could do something that could overturn this situation.

「Carve him into pieces.」

Rēko released a dizzying number of slashes towards the self-proclaimed kin.

The doll could only endure this attack for now. If Ariante jumped in at this point she could be pulled into the attack, too.

Ariante could only wait impatiently for the slashes to stop being fired.

-Then Ariante realized something.

「That girl.」

Then she laughed. She realized Rēko’s true intentions.

If you thought about it carefully, Rēko usually likes to use flashy and large moves but releasing such small blades from the start, Ariante could feel something out of place.

「…This is…」

Receiving the claws of light and reappearing from within unscathed, his voice contained a trace of agitation. He had realized the same thing as Ariante.

The defensive magical light protecting the doll had started to crack apart.

It had been struck by an attack that barely left the shield intact, an outcome specifically intended by Rēko.

「Raiotto, I’ve worn down the barrier. If you have the resolve to aim for where the Lord Evil Dragon lies, everything is up to your own power from now on.」

「…Did you not intend to help your friend?」

「I can defeat you while he isn’t becoming a burden.」

「In other words, while you save him, you can defeat me with half your attention? That seems to be very overconfident-」

With Rēko as the center, an overwhelming wind pressure blew out.

Black scales appeared on her arms and legs like patterns and her fingertips sharpened, then from her back grew cursed black wings.

She appeared the same as when she went out of control but this time, her eyes were still filled with intellect.

「Overconfident? Don’t insult me. As the Lord Evil Dragon’s kin, there’s nothing that I cannot do.」

-

-

Within the barrier.

Above the fake capital, traces of claw marks could be seen running through the barrier.

Raiotto looked at the sky with a doubtful expression.

「What’s that…?」

「That’s probably Rēko. I think that she’s trying to help us from outside.」

「Sh*t, it’s because I’m so powerless that Rēko had to use that kind of power again…」

Raiotto ground his teeth in frustration.

I don’t think Raiotto’s uselessness and Rēko being exceptional has anything to do with anything but we’re still busy so I chose to ignore it.

「Although it’s all or nothing, we can possibly break through the barrier if we charge through those fissures. When Rēko escaped the barrier, it was through those same fissures.」

「I see! Then let’s hurry up and fly through!」

Raiotto jumped on my back with a *pyon*, riding on my back along with the spirit.

「Excuse me but why did you ride on my back?」

「You can fly right? When we left the village, you also flew.」

「Ahh-… Well, you see, through complicated reasons, I currently can’t fly.」 f𝗿e𝙚𝘸e𝐛𝚗𝐨𝙫𝚎𝙡.c𝒐𝐦

Rēko, who’s in charge of the wings is currently not here.

「Eh, then how are we supposed to escape through the sky?」

「By running along that giant’s body and then jumping through… is impossible.」

It’ll all be for nothing if the giant smacks us down with a *pechi* sound.

If Rēko wanted to add some cracks in the barrier, I would like it to be in some easier to reach location.

As we were taking our time, the fissures in the sky were gradually being repaired by the black threads coming out of Sousou’s hands. Furthermore, even the golem started to move again.

「Fufufu… Although we were interrupted rudely, it’s a relief. You chose not to leave. We’ll be forever together… That’s right, we’ll live for all eternity right…?」

The hand of the massive golem opened and wanted to grab us.

The golem is only intending to hold us but if we’re grabbed by such a huge body, we’ll be instantly crushed to bits.

「Kyaaaaa-!! Don’t come over-!!!」

I turned my back to the golem’s open palm and ran away with all my strength.

From Raiotto who heard my pathetic scream,

「To be able to act out such a realistic weak appearance… It seems like you must have a plan right Revendia?」

「Aren’t you a bit too positive? Are there just too many positive people from that village?」

The massive palm of the golem overshadowed the crimson light from the moon and we were covered in a pitch black shadow.

I tried desperately to increase my speed but my knees started buckling and I thought that this was it for us-

「Ha! Now that I remember, I haven’t used the spirit’s power yet! Speed Up!!」

「Affirmative」

My speed instantly increased. We barely escaped from the giant’s hand… no, the fingers could still reach us.

「Leave it to me! I’ll be relying on you, sword!」

「Ou」

On top of my back, Raiotto swung his sword as he turned around. The sharp sword swing released a flying slash and cut off the golems fingers.

We really barely made it through. Using our trump cards, the spirit and the cursed sword, we were able to prolong our lives for a little longer.

—However, I still can’t die yet.

To be honest, I’ve lived for 5000 years so I don’t have any regrets. But… now I’m shouldering a bomb called Rēko. If this bomb blew up, it would be the end of humanity. It’s already come to a point where I can’t freely give up my life.

「It’s probably about time that I fix my habit of giving up too easily…」

I heard Raiotto is giving his best to take back Rēko. Being able to bear the burden of the cursed sword is also the result of his training.

Being through a journey with Rēko, I also think that I’ve grown a little bit.

「Raiotto! Grab on tightly!」

「Okay! What are you gonna do!?」

「Un, I will challenge the biggest hurdle in history— Miss Spirit! I’m going to change the form of the black claws, so pour in your power!」

Once the Hunting God had said this, that I had no talent for creating weapons.

So all I had to do was think about whether to protect or to run.

However in contrast to this reality, I could be said to be a little talented in making tools to run away with.

The golem readjusted his posture and reached out to us with his hands again. This time, like it was saying that it won’t miss again, it calculated the speed we were running at.

As I was running, I searched my memory for a word and then said…

「With the night’s mantle something something… Ehh, blown by the wind of something…」

「The heck are you saying Revendia?」

「You see, Rēko said those words when I first flew. Lately I’ve also gotten somewhat used to it.」

I’m no longer afraid to fly.

I also have the power of the spirit to power the black claws to their max power.

That’s why.

The hand of the golem smashed into the ground, creating a sandstorm.

It was the perfect moment to catch us.

But we escaped our predicament within a hair’s breadth.

「What’s this? As I thought, you could fly. Making fun of people as you please— Why are you crying?」

「Uuu… I’m glad. I’m so glad that I succeeded… I tried my best. I really tried my best…」

「Oi? Wipe your tears okay? Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself somewhere?」

In Rēko terms it would be called “Wings of Shadow”. —Being able to reproduce those with the black claws, I flapped my wings and flew into the sky above the fake capital.