26 - Twenty-sixth episode "Wang Nao"

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　--I was honestly desperate.



　Somehow I managed to play the role of Helian, the King of All Evil, but I was only able to use 60% of the script (scenario) I had prepared in advance, and the rest of my speech had to be improvised while watching the reactions of the people.

　I managed to keep my composure, but my legs were still shaking, and I felt like patting myself on the back for being able to stay on my feet until the end. The fact that I was able to walk back to the balcony on my own feet was almost a miracle.



　But judging from the reaction of the people, I think it's safe to say that I have earned their approval.

　At the very least, the event has fulfilled its minimum objectives, such as . If that is the case, then all is well. What we should think about now is not what has already happened, but what is in front of us.



"Mr. Helian, we are about to enter the Noblewood's ...... no, we are about to enter the capital city area of LATESTWOOD.



　Levee, walking beside me, whispers.

　The group was now on its way to the Noblewood stronghold - the capital of RATESTWOOD.



　Opening the , the detailed topographical information of the capital is displayed.

　This information was the result of the 4th and 7th Corps, who had passed through the Abyssal Forest, fully exercising their information-gathering abilities, and had been discovered through search magic from a long distance and reconnaissance by covert soldiers.



　Since there was only a small amount of time available for investigation, we were not able to determine the location of each and every life form in the capital, but just knowing the topographical information made a big difference.



　The survey was conducted in a more expeditious manner than in a covert manner.

　It is possible that Noblewood, or even other forces, may have detected our presence, but we had no choice. We could not face the virtual enemy "Noblewood" in front of us with our eyes blindfolded.



　


　One of them.

　The south gate, which Helian and his group are about to enter, is illuminated by several yellow spots.

　The light spots are Noblewood soldiers, who have been detected (searched) by the search magic in advance.



　Yellow is a color that signifies a virtual enemy or a neutral unit that is close to the enemy.

　It is not red to indicate an enemy.

　We have not yet completely determined that they are the enemy.



"Here we go! As I explained before, no attacks unless Noblewood makes a move. No matter what they say, unless I give the order, no attacks from us are strictly forbidden. Is that clear?"

"Ha."

"Yes, sir."



　Liewe and Ertina reply.

　They are the only companions from Alkimaira.

　Camilla was also a traveler, but since her presence was unknown in Noblewood, she was now hiding and waiting like the rest of the legion.



　Already, all the legions except for the minimum garrison have left the Abyssal Forest.

　With a single order from Hellian, the fusion beast "Alchimaira" will instantly bare its fangs.



"Master Leifa... Are you ready?

"Yes ...... no problem. And please call me Leifa. Honorifics are not necessary. ......

"...... Okay. Well, I'll be sure to do that. Rafea."



　Inadvertently, I was called by the same name I had used when we first met.

　However, the meanings behind them are quite different.

　As a result of revealing our positions to each other, our relationship has inevitably changed.

　......It is probably only my own selfishness that makes me feel lonely.



"Helian. The elves of Noblewood have noticed us.



　A Noblewood soldier standing in front of the gate was about to ready his bow.

　To show that they have no hostile intentions, the Herrians stop in place and raise their hands.

　As agreed upon in advance, Leifa took a step forward and shouted.



"Noblewood elves!　I am Leifa-Lim-Latestwood, Queen of Latestwood!　I have brought a party of travelers, as requested!"



　At Leifa's declaration, the Noblewood soldiers closed the distance between them, wary.

　When they could see each other's faces, they put their arrows back into the tubes on their backs.



"......Hey, you didn't run away, did you?"

"It would seem so, Chief Petty Officer."



　The elf who had arrived late - the man called "Chief of the Guard" - muttered in admiration.

　The other elves had bows in their hands, but he was the only one without a bow. Instead, he carried two daggers at his waist.



　He looked like a leader, but he was different from the chief hunter. According to what I was told before the meeting, the chief elf is the leader of the front line troops who reports to the chief hunter.



"This way. Follow me."



　The chief of soldiers cocks his chin and points in the direction of the capital.

　He was arrogant to greet a messenger, but Liewe and Eltina obeyed without a word, as ordered by the king.



　As they entered the gates of the capital, Helian saw a city that bears the scars of the war.

　There were collapsed houses and buildings crushed by collapsed trees everywhere.

　In fact, few houses were left standing.

　Among them, blackened and burnt buildings stood out.



　Leifua told us that they had been severely damaged by the fire.

　The result of the fire must be the devastation before our eyes.

　And, of course, among the burnt down buildings, there were not only the remains of the structures, but also charred lumps of coal the size of a human being lying around...



"......ッ"



　I didn't see it.




　I didn't see anything.

　I can't afford to be distracted right now.



"- You were quicker than I thought you'd be. You have a very special mind."



　I looked up at the sarcastic tone in his voice and saw a known face on the hill overlooking us. It was Sarawin, the chief hunter of the Noblewood who had attacked Leifa at that time.



"The representative of Noblewood is ...... negotiating with you, is that right?"



　After giving us a tour, the head soldier leaves the scene.

　In the distance, hundreds of elves surrounded Helian's group, but there was no sign of them approaching.

　Apart from Sarawin, the chief hunter, who appears majestically with his attendants, there are no other elves of high rank in sight.



"Negotiations?　What are you talking about?"

"We are here at the request of the Queen of Lattestwood. Let it be known that we were not brought here by force, but of our own volition.



　Sarawin's brow furrowed in annoyance.



"So?"

"I want to negotiate. We want to talk."



　Yes, negotiations first.

　We will have a meeting with representatives of Noblewood.



　Of course, we have no intention of handing over the property as requested.

　But that does not mean that we will use force from the start.

　If Eltina's high magic power or some other magic is the goal, there is still a possibility that the situation can be resolved through negotiations.



　......At the same time, as a sensible person born in Japan, I was inclined to leave the use of force as a last resort.



"I believe that there is room for negotiation with your country."



　I thought to myself, "What the hell am I doing after making a speech like that?

　But the use of force meant a state of war.

　A single order from Hellian could decide the start of war.



　One word from me could start a war and people would die.

　My hands trembled just thinking about it.

　My feet almost stopped.

　I am tempted to go home right now and crawl under the covers and sleep.



　But every time he was about to be swallowed up by cowardice, Helian looked at his right hand.

　He looked at the pinky finger that he had promised to the girl.



　Ahead of him, Lilliput awaits.

　The girl with whom he had cut off his finger, waiting for help to come.

　A life within reach, a life that would surely be lost if Helian abandoned her.



　Then how can he abandon her?

　How could he abandon her when he could save her?

　It must be a strong person who can do that.

　It must be a person who can make a decision to save the big by cutting down the small without hesitation.

　I think that person has the qualities to be a great leader.

　But Helian can never be a leader.



　He dares to abandon them even though he can save them.

　How could he do such a terrible thing?



"I want to know why you called us here. It seems that your country is in need of High Elves.　Is it because of your high magical power?　Or is it the ancient magic of the Lost Spell?　Depending on the situation, we may be willing to cooperate with you peacefully."

"You humans are barking like a bunch of fools, not knowing where you stand. ...... have you nothing to say, High Elf?"



　Eltina, with the water pointed at her, stands tall and opens her mouth, despite the unkind stares of the elves.



"I have given full authority for the negotiations to Mr. Helian, ...... the human here. Nothing in particular from me.

"And yet you are a High Elf. We know from the other night that you have extraordinary magical powers. If anyone could control magic that even we elves do not know and yet be powerful enough to defeat me, there is no one but the High Elves, our ancestors. Why then do you follow the humans? They are a savage and inferior race.

"I do not deny that I belong to the elven lineage, but my values and yours seem to be very different.

"Hun ...... have you forgotten your elven pincer? Well, that's all right. That's more to our advantage.



　It was a word I did not want to hear.



"Convenient?　What do you mean?"

"This is what I mean, human. Open your filthy eyes and take a good look."



　Sarawin held his right hand up to the sky as he looked down at Helian. Screeching voices fall from the sky in response. It sounds like the wailing of a banshee.



　Quickly, he looked up and saw a black shadow.

　The shadow rapidly loses altitude and lands softly behind Sarawin, revealing itself.



"...... dragon?"



　Its external form was that of a Western dragon.

　Its entire body was covered with scales of a color between silver and white, and it was nearly 20 meters long. However, its torso was so fleshy that its ribs stood out, giving it an eerie impression. A lizard-like head protruded from its long neck, and it bore a single thin horn.






　It has six wings.

　However, these three pairs of six wings are different from the dragon wings that Helian is familiar with, and look like butterfly wings. The thin, clear, iridescent wings were both fragile and beautiful, as if they would shatter at the touch.



　Helian knows almost all the races in Tactics Chronicle by heart, but even he had never seen this dragon species before.



"You don't think it's a 'fairy dragon' ......?"



　Leifa muttered in dismay.



"That's right. Though "unclean", we are of Elven blood. You knew that, didn't you?"

"You mean to say that you have broken the seal?



　Leifua's voice was filled with disbelief.

　It seemed to be some kind of special dragon, but Helian and the others could not quite grasp it.



　We know that they are different from ordinary dragons. It seems to have a certain amount of power.

　But if it were simply a dragon with power, Leifa would have seen it from Alkimaira's castle, herd by herd. In contrast, there is only one dragon, albeit an unknown one, in front of her. I don't understand why she is upset.



"Leifa. What is that thing?　Is it a dragon with that much power?"

"...... That is the dragon from the epic tales of the elves."



　Leifa's voice was trembling.



"According to legend, it is said that the ancient gods gave this dragon to the Elves. It is said that when the world was in danger, he wielded his power as the guardian dragon of the elves. ....... But after the battle, it was supposed to be sealed in the ruins by the hands of the ancient elves. It should have been sealed ......, but it was not. ......"

"The Noblewood has broken the seal. It took a lot of work just to break one of them free."

"Oh no. ......"



　Leifua looks as if she is about to collapse.

　It was as if she had noticed something she did not want to notice.



"What's wrong, Leifa? I know you are a powerful dragon, but why are you so upset? Is it that formidable?

"As far as the epic poem is concerned, it is the dragon that helped defeat the Demon King. ....... But that dragon has to be sealed ...... because that dragon has to be ...... sealed in order for it to be ...... active."

"--and will need the flesh and blood of the Elves."



　Sarawin interrupted Leifa and spoke a simple fact.

　The edges of Sarawin's cheeks rise and twist in amusement.



"It's called a souvenir from the underworld. I'll make it easy for you ignorant people to understand.

　--All right... Powerful power comes at a price. Our elf-guardians are no exception. Or rather... they are the symbol of it.

　Though it boasts unparalleled power, it accepts only the flesh and blood of the elves. That is why the elves of ancient times sealed the fairy dragon.



　My heart leapt.

　Cold sweat trickles down my spine.



"But we, Noblewood, desperately needed that power. In order to dispel the abominable past of a hundred years ago, we have turned the humiliation of our defeat at the hands of the barbaric humans into anger, and have worked single-mindedly to unseal the Fairy Dragon. ......!　And our persistence has paid off, and finally, after a hundred years, the seal has been released!"



　One hundred years in the abominable past.

　The war between humans and the Noblewoods that took place a hundred years ago.

　According to what Leifa has told me, it was in fact a draw, almost a defeat for the elves.



"But the fairy dragons that were freed from the seal were starving badly. It was in no condition to fight at once. But we, the Noblewoods, who have mastered wisdom, will not be outdone. We will not kill those who will be the food for the fairies for this day, but we will release them to the wild.



　My heart beats fast.

　Helian dug through the records as if gripped by impatience.



　It had been about a month since Latticewood had been attacked by Noblewood.

　Noblewood was trying to capture the fleeing half-elf without killing him.



　Half-elves belong to the elven race, although they are not pure-blooded.

　And the body of the fairy dragon only accepts flesh and blood of the elf race.

　They only eat elves.



　What does that mean?



"...... No way. The fairy dragon has been eating for the past month."

"Yes. Half-elves."



　You finally get it now, you fool.

　Sarawin sniffed and spat.



"We've had a hard time getting the fairy dragon to recover this far, you know. We couldn't just kill the half-elves without a second thought, since they won't eat them unless they're alive. Moreover, the quality of half-elves varies from one individual to another. If they are rich in our noble blood, they are good food for us, but if they are too rich in human blood, they are not good food for us.



　Individuals. Quality. Food .

　Nauseating words.

　Noblewood saw the half-elves as nothing more than livestock.



"It would be better if they were as obvious as the half-elf's mother there," Noblewood said. But in reality, there were many things that could not be known until the half-elf was fed. This was something that even we had not calculated. When we realized that half of the people we had captured were nothing but trash, we were very angry. But ......!"



　At one point, Sarawin's face twisted from a look of anger to one of glee.

　His bloodshot eyes caught Ertina's.



"Then a High Elf appeared, possessing extraordinary magical power!　According to legend, a single High Elf is enough to keep the fairy dragon active for a month!　Just when we realized that we might not be able to fully recover even if we fed all the half-elves, an extra-elven tribe with abundant magical power, and a being of a higher rank, was brought to us!　What would you call this if you didn't call it a revelation!"



　Sarawin speaks ecstatically.

　It was as if he were telling his audience about his great achievement.






"Moreover, the High Elves have forgotten their pride as a tribe of Elves and are now following the footsteps of humans. If it were someone who shared our ideals, we would have hesitated, but if his spirit is tainted by humans, it will not hurt us in the least. We can feed the fairy dragon with peace of mind. And its abundant magical power will become the fairy dragon's flesh and blood.



　I'd be honored.

　The representative of Noblewood said so without hesitation.



Oh, yes, yes. As I recall, the half-elf there came the other day to retrieve his mother, didn't he?　As a reward for bringing the High Elves here, if you want something like this, you can have it."



　On cue, an elven soldier removes a dirty cloth from the branch of a large tree.

　A rough rope is tied around the exposed branch.

　Under the rope, there was a hanging object.



　Perhaps it was because it was a symbol of a non-pure blood elf.

　Her ample breasts had been cut off.

　A noose around her neck.

　The corpse hung from a branch.



　Powerless.

　The wind was blowing.

　Like a swing.

　Dangling.

　Like a swing.



"........................ Mother."



　Leifua finally collapsed on the spot.

　A cold drop trickles down the too-white girl's cheek.



　--I can't do it anymore.

　I can't keep silent any longer. ......!



"Where are the half-elves that Rilifa ...... kidnapped last night!　You have sworn by the name of the tree of life!　The "traveler's party" came here as promised!　So you will make good on your promises!　Return Lillipha and the others to Lattestwood now!"



　He shouts as if he's going to slam it down.

　I won't let this nonsense go on any longer.



　Our first priority is to ensure the safety of Leifa and the others. What we do about these people in front of us is beyond that.



　Negotiations can wait.

　We can't keep them here even for a second.



"Rilifa...... Oh, that's the other girl. So she's the reason you all showed up here so quietly.



　Sarawin nodded in agreement.

　In response, the elves around him grinned and gave a lowly smile.



　They seem to have misunderstood me, but I really don't care.

　We must get the half-elves back as soon as possible and get out of here as soon as possible.

　That's all Hellian can think of right now.









"--but you're a little late."









　--For a moment, I didn't understand what was being said.

　My brain refused to think.



"............Wait a minute, wait a minute. ...... you said it was too late. ...... What is ......?"



　As if.

　As if I hadn't made it in time.

　As if it was already too late.

　But.

　But that's not true.

　Because we...

　We kept our promise.

　We've come this far...



Don't worry. We've kept the other half-elves alive as insurance in case we don't get the High Elves. The fairy dragons need sustenance just before they invade human lands. But until then, they will need to "hold the line". Since we cannot reduce the number, it is obvious that we have to give priority to quality.

　Therefore, I tried to see if the royalty would have the right amount of magical power,...... but even if the amount of potential magical power is not considered, the individual seems to have a strong human blood like his mother. It was not good for the fairy dragon and some of it was spit out.



　Here," said Sarawin, releasing something stick-like at random.

　The stick bounced on the ground several times and rolled down to the slumped Leifua.



"----,"



　It wasn't a stick.

　What looked like a stick was a thin girl's arm.

　The shape of her hand indicated that it was her right hand.

　And the ring on her pinky finger, which Helian couldn't help but recognize.



"............Why?　The oath, of the divine tree, is ......?"






　He looks up at Sarawin, who releases it.

　Sarawin opens his mouth with a look of mixed pleasure and contempt.



"The oath of the tree is absolute for the elves. Indeed it is. But it is a different story if the promise is made to a half-elf. There is no oath to be kept against such a "defilement". It is clear that our pride as noble elves will not be harmed by a breach of oath.



　Fools.

　Sarawin said unabashedly.



"--------"



　And Helian.

　Helian chewed the words in his head.

　Over and over again.

　She thinks of the girl she made a promise to.

　She looks at the thin arm lying on the ground.

　And finally.

　I understood.



"......Ah."



　--Bubujiri.

　There was a bad sound somewhere in my head.



"Enough."



　Something hot spills from my eyes.

　Not tears.

　Definitely not something like that.

　It couldn't possibly be something so beautiful, something that had fallen out of a black emotion.



I finally understand.



　Yeah, that's right.

　I finally understand.

　I know what the creature in front of me is.

　What you are that breaks its oaths and desecrates the dead,



I know exactly what you mean.



　The name of the war that the elves had put forward was a lie.

　They did not even hold up their fossilized purity of blood.

　They only needed sacrifices for their vengeance device against man.

　They were just trying to use the half-elves, not willing to be sacrificed themselves.



I was the fool.



　I thought we could negotiate.

　I thought a peaceful resolution was not impossible.

　I believed there had to be a solution other than violence.

　They did not want to start a war.

　He was afraid of becoming a murderer at this point.

　He was filled with feelings of cowardice.

　But...



"You are not people."



　These people can't be people.

　If they were people, they wouldn't be able to do such atrocious things.

　They're just animals who can speak.

　They just happen to be in human form.

　I didn't understand that.

　I was so wrong.

　These people...

　The humanoid beast before you is ......!



"You are vermin. Now I finally understand it: ......!

　What is the pride of the elves, what is the oath of the sacred tree!

　You have broken even that, you are not even elves anymore!

　You are nothing but a hideous monster, a vermin that will do harm to mankind!

　Yes, yes!　You are not elves, you are not even people!

　I no longer recognize you as human ----!!!!"



　With a shout, he slams his fist into the "Tactics Window" displayed on the right side of his field of view.

　The four words "Declaration of War" displayed in the window turned from white to red.

　The king's will to kill spreads through the entire Alkimyra army in an instant.



　At the same time, a ward covered the entire city.

　It was a wide-area ward constructed by the Fourth Legion.

　It was not meant to protect anyone.




　It was a ward to prevent anyone from escaping.



This is ......!



　The title of chief hunter was not a title he had earned.

　The other elves did not even notice the warding, but Sarawin was the only one who sensed something was wrong, and he looked up at the sky and uttered a few words of dismay.



　Then a flash of red light fell from the sky.

　As soon as the light hit the ground, it burst into flames, spreading destruction.

　The hill on which the Salawins were standing was also crushed by the explosion, leaving no trace.



　Without seeing the result, the King of All Evil gives an order in a fit of rage.



"Cereyeyeesu!　Leave the attack to the other corps and let the Fourth Corps focus only on maintaining the closed wards!　Not a single enemy force is allowed outside!　You hear me?　Not one!　These vermin will be eradicated right here, right now--!!!!!!!"







　　　　+ + +







　The Noblewood soldiers in town were in a state of extreme confusion.



　As they desperately fled, numerous fireballs rained down from the sky above their heads.

　The number of fireballs alone was frightening enough, but they were not half as powerful.

　The fireballs, each larger than their heads, rained down one after the other, creating a storm of destruction as soon as they crashed.



What the hell!　What the hell happened?



　No one can answer.

　Everyone was too busy trying to save their own lives.

　Whereas a few minutes ago they were enjoying the peace and tranquility, now all they can see is destruction.



"No way, it's the High Elves!



　Everyone knew that the leader of the half-elves had brought a party of travelers with him. Of course, the same applies to how they treat the High Elves.



　They were hesitant to sacrifice their own high race of high elves to the fairy dragon, even if they were half-elves. Moreover, when they actually saw them, they had a beautiful appearance that even the elves of Noblewood could not take their eyes off of. Some even let out a heated sigh at the sight of her beauty.



　However, if you listen to what she says from a distance, you can see that the High Elf did not have the pride of being an elf. It seems to me that they are just following the dirty human beings.



　Some of the young elves were so dazzled by her beauty that they were even willing to plead for her life if they were forced to follow the humans, but when they saw the High Elves following the humans themselves, their feelings were completely dampened. If a person is not proud of being an elf, it does not hurt him in the least to sacrifice him.



　They were ashamed of their own hearts for trying to help the High Elves - at that moment.

　A human man shouted something and a red light fell from the sky.



"This ...... is not something you can avoid!　Each of you, deploy your barriers!"



　The Noblewood soldiers start chanting instantly and formulate magic spells to protect themselves.

　But before they could complete their magic, many of their comrades disappeared in a blaze of crimson fire. By the time they had finally managed to weave their magic and deploy the barrier, dozens more had already been killed. The Noblewood soldiers who had finished putting up the barrier shouted in unison.



"Enemy attack!　We are under magical bombardment!"

"We know that!　I don't need to tell you that now!"

Where are you?　Where is the enemy?

What force is attacking us in the first place?　This much stuff ...... can't be done by ten or twenty people!"

It's not the work of the Unsullied, is it?　No, but they can't possibly use such advanced magic--gasp!



　Noblewood soldiers exchanging angry shouts.

　One of them lost his voice halfway through.

　A nearby soldier looks at the source of the voice to see what happened. There, he found a large hole that seemed to have been made by a fireball that had landed on him, and a piece of his comrade's body that had been blown away.



　--The barrier had been breached.



　A chill runs down his spine as he realizes this fact.



"Nonsense!　How is it possible to penetrate our barriers with a single offensive magic shot?



　It was contrary to their common sense.

　They are a race of elves skilled in magic. Their slender bodies were not suitable for melee combat, but in the field of magic, they were the best of the four major races on the continent.



　Furthermore, they are a member of the Noble Woods, a prosperous family. Among them, the advance team that was gathered for the attack on LATESTWOOD is an elite group, and they are all old and strong men who have experienced wars with humans. In other words, it is no exaggeration to say that the Noblewood soldiers present here are the strongest magic group.



　At least, that is what they believed.

　But as if to ridicule them, the fireballs that poured down on them penetrated the barriers like thin paper, creating a storm of destruction.

　The hellish time came to an end when the number of their comrades in sight was reduced to almost half.



"......Oh, is it over?"






　One of the Noblewood soldiers muttered to himself as he released a barrier that consumed a lot of magic power.

　From the side, he looked like a small animal fearfully poking its head out of its nest.

　He tried to look around to see what the hell was going on.



"No. It's just beginning."



　--The view in my eyes has come full circle.



　No, not just one circle, but many circles. I tried to warn myself that this time it was some kind of illusion magic, but I couldn't move my body. Soon, the spinning scenery stops. In my fixed vision, I see a lion-headed beastman and a headless elf who are collapsing in front of him.



　It is nothing but luck that the decapitated man is able to die before he realizes that the body belongs to him.



"Alkimaira is the claw, Baran-Zaifried, Commander of the Second Legion. I have arrived."



　The lion-headed beastman - Balan looks around, dispensing his sword with a blue gleam and shaking off the bloodstains.



"Even if I say ......, all I see here are vermin that are not people. I guess I didn't need to say my name.



　Behind Baran's muttering is the Second Legion.

　It is a corps equivalent to an army, composed mainly of beastmen and knights.

　They had been given the prestigious post of first spearman, and were immersed in the exaltation of the Second Legion, which values discipline.



　No wonder.

　Even they were at the height of excitement due to the king's speech, and on top of that, it was the first spear in their first battle in this world. It would be an impossible task not to be elated.



　Soldiers of the 2nd Corps lined up in a row.

　They resemble hounds that are waiting for the moment to leap out.

　As if to break the collar, Balan swung down his holy sword.



"Second Corps, advance!"



　The land forces have begun to overrun the city.







　　　　+ + +







　Sarawin, the chief hunter, peeled his eyes away from the scene unfolding before him.



　He feels a considerable pain in his shoulder.

　He made a quick decision to throw away all of his catalysts and deployed a barrier with all his might, but even so, the mysterious bombardment was still too powerful to prevent.

　Although I succeeded in saving my life, I am covered with lacerations and burns everywhere. In addition, his shoulder is said to have been broken by the impact of the fall from the high ground.



　However, even the pain was not important.



"What is this ...... what is this?



　The magical bombardment seemed to have stopped, and the next attackers were a group of beastmen in armor. The speed with which they marched using their four legs, which is characteristic of beastmen, was as fast as the wind.



　Some of the Noblewood soldiers tried to stop their advance with their own bodies, but they were all cut down with a single sword. A single brave soldier had less than two seconds to save his life. It was not even a battle.



　The soldiers of the glorious Noblewood are being laid waste (・・・・・・・).



"Fe...... Fairy Dragons!　O guardian dragon of the elves!　Please protect us!"



　Sarawin, who had the authority to command the fairy dragons, immediately gave the order.

　It was a trump card that was supposed to be saved until the decisive battle with the humans, but we cannot afford to lose our Noblewood warriors here and now.



　These are the mainstay of Noblewood.

　We cannot even start a war if we lose too many of our men here and now.

　We must minimize the damage, even if it means that the fairies will be a little depleted.



　Fairy dragons follow ancient contracts.

　The dragon, charged with the duty of protection, took to the skies as ordered and threw itself into the battlefield.



　In conclusion, Sarawin was right.

　The elves could not stop the attack by the mysterious group and the damage was only getting worse.



　--However, whether or not the introduction of fairy dragons will do anything is another matter.



"Oh, a dragon species. If so, it seems to be qualified to be a sentence of our heroic tale. I thought they were all small fry, but I'm relieved to see that the prey is at least a little more resilient.



　The fairy dragon heard voices.

　Not a sound, but a voiceless voice transmitted in waves.

　The fairy dragon hears the sound of waves, which only dragons can recognize, for the first time in this life.

　This means that there are other dragons in the sky besides himself, and that he is the only one who can recognize them.



"I have no name to give to the vermin, but I may give one to the dragon with whom I am in covenant. I am Nogard Nibelung, Commander of the Eighth Legion, winged by Alkimaira.



　--At the same time, it was a death sentence for the fairy dragon.



　A young man appeared in front of the fairy dragon soaring in the sky. He was in the air without wings or magic. With his back to the sun, the young man made a somewhat theatrical gesture and spread out his arms as if welcoming the heavens and the earth.



　With his body, the young man formed a cross. The fairy dragon, awestruck by the sight of him, responded instinctively.



>



　A desperate screeching sound.

　The fairy dragon unleashes a fire from its palate.

　It is a scorching fire so powerful that it has taken down the capital of Rattestwood in a single night.

　The fire, which has a directional nature, easily engulfs the young man's figure with its raging fury.



"Thanks for the direction. That was very clever, wasn't it?"



　--The explosion was scattered from the inside with the force of an explosion.




　The figure that emerged from the red lotus was no longer that of a young man.

　Exposed to the twilight, he was a giant, more than 40 meters long.



　From its legs, which had looked slender, claws as thick as crowbars sprouted, transforming into a thick and strong skeleton that could support its huge body. Its hind legs, which have been transformed into an inverted joint shape that is impossible for humans, are folded under its torso for flight.

　Extending backward from the torso is a long, strong tail that could cleave a large tree, and extended in the opposite direction is a majestic, thick neck.



　And at the end of the tail is a head shaped like a lizard, but it is by no means a cute little thing like a lizard. The fangs that were visible through its agitated jaws were sharp enough to bite even the top of the ecosystem, and on the top of its head grew two thick horns that a lizard could not possibly have.



　Furthermore, its arms, which were raised proudly, changed their shape into wings with a thick skin, and a single tap in the air caused a frightened sound of the atmosphere.



　The body is a mythical being that pierces the heavens.

　Its body is an epic beast that splits the heavens.

　His body is the strongest race that soars to the heavens.



　The Alkimaira boasts the greatest firepower in the world, the pinnacle of dragons.

　The "twilight dragon," the strongest of the mythological and fantastic species, is here.



<


　The dusk dragon holds the fairy dragon in its sights, its golden eyes gleaming.



<


　To this voice, the fairy dragon answered with fire.

　However, the second burning flame could not even envelop the entire body of the giant dusk dragon Nogald, and his crimson scales scattered it all away.



　Then, the fairy dragon spreads its three pairs of six butterfly-thin wings, and deploys a magic circle on each one of them. The magic circle, filled with magic power for five seconds, shone brightly, and the glow was transformed into arrows and shot out.



　The number of arrows was 120.

　The light arrows released from the six magic circles formed a swarm and ran to the twilight dragon without mishap. --But...






　All of them were again shot down.

　They were not defended.

　The dusk dragon did nothing to begin with.

　It was just that it was unprotected from the light arrows shot out by the fairy dragon, and its scales repelled all of them.



　Seeing this impossible reality, a shadow fell on the fairy dragon's eyes.

　Such a thing has never happened in any battle before.

　What the fairy dragon just fired was the most powerful magic among all the magic it possessed.

　Even if its own strength has been reduced to less than half of what it was in its prime, there is no way that it can withstand it with only its bare defensive capabilities. There is no way they could admit that they could not even make him take a defensive action.

　However, in the reality reflected in his eyes, there is a dusk dragon without a single wound.



<......Is it over already? >>



　The fairy dragon responded to the question with an action that was laced with a hint of derision.

　It turned its back to the dragon in front of it and struck the sky with its wings to keep its distance.



　Sarawin, who was watching the battle below, sent a thought wave <>, but the fairy dragon ignored it.



　In the first place, this was not an escape.

　It was simply to keep its distance and buy time to build up an effective means of attack against the enemy.



　Certainly, what should be called instinct was screaming at them to run away, but the fairy dragon, bound by the pact, was not allowed to run away. But they can make a tactical retreat. This is not an escape, but merely an evasive maneuver to buy time to devise an effective strategy against the enemy.



　With this logic, the fairy dragon subverted Sarawin's order, which had the power of a pact, and dismissed it. Then, as instinct dictated, it flew through the air at full speed to keep its distance,



<


　The twilight dragon, which I had left far behind, easily caught up with me.

　The fairy dragon forgets even its evasive maneuvers due to its unbelievable speed, and its eyes peel off at the sight of the dusk dragon running alongside it with ease.






　Fairy dragon wings move by beating the air according to the laws of physics.

　But the wings of the dusk dragon, on the other hand, fly through the air, which they have pierced.

　Anything that obstructs its conquest of the sky is subjected to the "piercing power" of its wings.

　Even the atmosphere is no exception.

　The "atmosphere" above the capital, where no magic had been deployed and no one had taken control, was ripped open by the wings of the dusk dragon and retreated from its path.



　What remains is a vacuum passage, the fastest space dedicated to the Dusk Dragon with zero air resistance. The wings of the twilight dragon wick away the magical elements in place of the atmosphere, and at the same time, in combination with the gravity control, even the sound is left behind.



　The dusk dragon slowly opens its jaws "agito" so that the stunned fairy dragon can see it clearly.

　There is a real burning flame in it, which scorches even the fire of the fairy dragon.



<


　The fairy dragon screamed.

　The screeching sound echoed through the capital of Rattlestwood with the sound of a righteous demise.







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