There are seven types of dragons that appear in the Metio Dungeon, including the bosses.
　There are six white dragons, blue dragons, yellow dragons, green dragons, red dragons, and gold dragons, as well as a huge boss dragon called the rainbow dragon, which has seven different colored scales.

　If the white dragon's strength is 10, the blue dragon is 12, the yellow dragon is 14, the green dragon is 16, and the red dragon is about 20. The Golden Dragon jumps all the way up to about 80, and the Rainbow Dragon would be about 456 already. After all, when it comes to the bosses, they are in an order of magnitude stronger.

　When it comes to the battle, it's easy to get to the red dragon. However, it might be a bit tricky to deal with the Golden Dragon, which is about 8 times stronger than the White Dragon. I don't have a problem with it, but Sylvia and Eco are.

　The boss's rainbow dragon is out of the question. If you're asked to beat it now, you can take a long time to do so "solo". But if you're going to fight with three people, it's nearly impossible to follow two of them. Therefore, it can be said that you don't want to fight against the Rainbow Dragon and the Golden Dragon if possible.

　Well.
　Our goal this time was not to capture the Metio Dungeon. It's to learn the Dragon Horse and the Dragon King.

　The condition for learning the Dragon Horse is "Attack at least once with each of the 7 skills from infantry to flying car, and deliver the final blow in an angular line, which must be performed against 5 different dragons. The Dragon King must be able to kill 10 dragons using only his flying car.

　The most efficient way to do this in the Metio Dungeon is to - "Kill 10 white dragons with the flying chariot only, and fulfill the Dragon Horse requirement against white, blue, yellow, green and red dragons". --And...

　''Yes. There was no need for us to go out of our way to touch the two exceptionally strong Golden Dragon and Rainbow Dragon.
　Therefore, the strongest enemy would automatically be the red dragon. It is a red-scaled dragon that is about twice as strong as the white dragon.

　After all, what am I trying to say?


''Let's just say it's a piece of cake.

　Dinner time. At Badgold's Tavern, I put down my mug and declared it so.

　Progress is about halfway through. In today's day, Silvia was able to learn the Dragon King Archery, Eco was able to learn the Dragon King Shield Technique, and I was able to learn the Dragon King Sword Technique and the Dragon King Archery Technique. The number of sacrificed white dragons lightly exceeded 30.

''I'm exhausted from being nervous all day long over here. ......
He's knackered.

　Sylvia and Eco lie prostrate on the desk. Silvia seems to have been mentally overwhelmed and Eco physically overwhelmed.

　The most troublesome part of today's process was the condition of Eco's Dragon King Shield Technique, "Parry 100 in a row". It is very difficult to find the timing for Parry, so it took a lot of time. Incidentally, Eco had described White Dragon's attack as a 'shoulder pan'. Even the quintessential Eco was in a bit of pain.

''There are only four of them tomorrow. We're almost there.''

　I'll give them both a pep talk. I've filled the conditions for Sylvia and Eco's Dragon Horse today with only the white dragon. Tomorrow, the blue dragon, yellow dragon, green dragon, and red dragon will be mastered by the blue dragon, yellow dragon, green dragon, and red dragon, and if they meet the conditions, they will be cleared.

''Those four will be stronger than the white dragon, though!　Didn't you say that the red dragon is about twice as strong as the white dragon?
Yeah, yeah. One thing to note. And I remember just the right words of wisdom. Just remember this.
What is it?
It doesn't matter if it doesn't hit you.
"...... I don't know who said it, but that's certainly a 'stray word'. Put yourself in the shoes of the people you work for.
Hmm?
I mean, when you can do it for the Second Lord and I can't, why not?
Hmm?
No, no, no.　Not.
Nuh-uh?
I said, "Show me how to avoid it first, you idiot!"
Ow!

　I'm pissed. Maybe I was a little too much of a tease.
　But oh well, this would be more normal than slouching around on a desk.

　I looked Sylvia squarely in the eye and said with as serious an expression as possible.

'...... Sylvia. Seriously, you can't be too careful tomorrow. If you get a little lost, avoid it. Okay?
Ugh. ...... Mm.

　Silvia looked amused because I had suddenly become so serious, but she nodded honestly to what I was saying.

''Eco. You too, if you're lost, go to the corner, if you're not going to be able to make it in time, avoid it.
Okay.

　Eco is still as obedient as ever.

　I make sure they're listening intently and then open my mouth.

'There are three ways to avoid the dragon, you must learn them all: one, if it cries stupidly, run in a wide circle around the dragon; two, if it jumps up, run perpendicular to its direction of travel; and three, the moment it turns its head diagonally away from you, you must lie down in place.'

　In order, it's how to avoid the breath, press, and tail. Breathe without wasting your breath, press as hard as you can, and avoid the tail by getting down.

　This is the "optimal solution", which would normally be reached after being killed by dragons over and over again. But in this world, you can't die even once. That's why very few people know about it.

"Yes, of course.

　Sylvia nodded. She must have swallowed the words. It had been in the past, "How do you know? The question. I've decided not to reveal why. Since we both know that, she nodded to me without saying anything.

　The actions that demons take and the countermeasures they take. How much of an advantage is it in this world to know this? It's still a lot of unknowns, but the return to the world's number one spot isn't far away - that's how I felt.

'Good. As long as you are aware of those three things I just mentioned, your life is safe for now. After that, you just need to do as you practiced in the white dragon. Any questions?
Are you going to capture the Metio dungeon?
I don't.
Hmm, okay.

　Silvia has a surprising look on her face. Eco was also a bit puzzled. Did you think you couldn't attack?　If so, I have to correct that. The world's number one can't be licked.

It's not impossible to capture it in its current state if you prepare properly, but even if you do, it won't be worth it.
I mean, can you still do the same thing?
Wow!

　They look at me in amazement and dismay.

　Yes, those eyes. The shock of being able to defeat a rainbow dragon that is 40 times stronger than a white dragon, and the mysterious trust and conviction that it's me. In other words, an astonishing strength. The best in the world must be so.

But Second-dono is quite strange. I'm sure you're obsessed with the vague definition of the honor of being number one in the world, but you don't pay attention to specific honors such as dungeon capture, do you?　And then you think you want a mansion, but when you open the lid, you find a house worthy of being ranked number one in the world. ...... I don't know if you're being greedy or unselfish, do you?

　Suddenly, Sylvia spoke up with a question. Apparently, she wants to say I'm a pervert. That's a very welcome and very good answer. Being number one in the world is a job that requires a certain kind of perversion.

I just don't want to do it for nothing. It's all in the process of becoming number one in the world anyway.
I'm telling you that your unusual reserve and unflappable confidence is weird: ......
Isn't that a good thing?
Well, hmm. Yeah.

　For some reason, we laugh at each other. We both got a good bit drunk, and this somewhat displaced open-ended conversation took place.

　Some time later, when Eco put her face in a bowl of rice and started to sleep, we said goodbye.
　Tomorrow, it's finally time to learn Ryoma. Everyone's nervousness had left them feeling good.



　　* * * *



　A terrific battle was unfolding in front of me.

　The enraged red dragon, opposed to the Second Lord who held a sword and wore a seven-colored aura.

　I have already mastered the Dragon Horse Archery and Eco has mastered the Dragon Horse Shield Technique. We are always three to one against each other, and whether it is a green dragon or a red dragon, they were not our enemies. We can say that it is because of Second-dono's unusually precise advice.

　Second-dono also said that he had learned the Dragon Horse Archery Technique. Then why are they fighting now? It's because I want to learn the 《Long Horse Sword Art》.

　I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what to do with it.

　And then the battle begins.


　If I were to express it in one word, it would be "beauty".

　The Second Lord's movements, which were refined to the extreme, hunted down the Red Dragon without mercy.

　How to kill efficiently and safely - I felt it's no exaggeration to say that this is the culmination of the ultimate pursuit of those two points.

　How much do you have to learn, how much do you have to practice, how much do you have to risk to reach these heights? I can't even imagine.

　I stare at it like I'm devouring it. I stare intently, not missing a single move. Eco and I both watched in silence.

　After a while, the red dragon collapses.
　It's natural. Second-dono continued to apply the Flying Car Sword Technique with the best conceivable efficiency without taking a single blow.

''Ok I've learned. Let's go home.

　He looked back at me and said absentmindedly.

　He had the same look on his face as usual. It's the look he gives us when we get a corner room at the inn, when we find a tasty dish at the tavern, and when our shopping comes within exactly 10,000CL.

　The word "normalcy" doesn't cut it. It is not a word that can be used to clear up the problem.

　There are many people in the world who can slay dragons. But is there anyone who can slay a dragon as if he were breathing?

　I've had countless glimpses of his abnormality, but I've never felt it as deeply as I do today.

　And I admire him strongly. I want to be like him.
　Even though I know he's not my enemy, I can't help but want to follow his great back.

Let's go back.
　Eco lined up next to Lord Second. And so we headed home.

　As we were going back the way we came, we could hear the faint sound of sword fights in the distance.

'Second-dono,'
Yeah, someone's f*cking with me. We'll see.

　It's rare to meet people in dungeons. Especially when it's unguided, like this Metio dungeon. Because it's either an extraordinarily daredevil or extraordinarily skilled person who comes to a place like this. Both are rare.

''It's a sword technique. And it's solo-ish.
　Lord Second-dono muttered.

　What a surprise, it was one blonde man fighting the dragon. One woman can be seen behind that man. Seeing that she hasn't made any moves, I wonder if she's a recovery magician rather than a logistical support. One thing that bothers me is that for some reason the woman is wearing a maid's uniform. Then the man is some nobleman?

Oh, are you strong?
　Eco says, tilting his head.

　Well, he is indeed strong. I can see that he's overwhelmed the yellow dragon solo.

Oh, I defeated him. I'm sure you have more firepower than I do, seeing as you're not down.
What ......?

　Do you have more firepower than Lord Second?　Doesn't that mean that it's one hell of a monster?　That's exactly what I'm going to do, I'm going to compete in a title fight: ...... Ummm, I can't believe it.

"Oh, it looks like we're going to have another fight. This time it's Green Dragon.

　The blonde male swordsman stood up and challenged the green dragon in succession.

　He struck the poisonous green scales with [Sword Art]. Even the green dragon was overwhelmed by only one person, just like the yellow dragon.

　...... strong. Strong, but ...... umu, I see. I understood what the uncomfortable feeling I was having was.

　He's not beautiful.

　He seems to be standing around well, rushing, breathing, pressing, canceling out tails, firing off counters, and evading. However, if compared to Second Lord's battle just a moment ago, it was truly a cloud of difference.

　There is too much waste in his movements. There are too many gaps between attack and defense. In addition, the number of attacks is lower than that of the Second Lord, and above all, they are always in danger.

　The difference between him and Second Lord was so obvious that it was almost too pitiful to compare them.

　If he and Second Lord were to fight, it was obvious who would win. No matter how much higher his status was than Second Lord, he could see that there was a huge difference between the two of them that could be overruled.

''............!''
　And then I realize that I've grown to understand the difference. I've grown to understand the "decisive difference".

　If it was me before, I would have been just as excited as I was the first time I saw the Second Lord and the blond man, and I wouldn't have noticed anything.
　But now it's different. I can see the difference in his beauty. Now that I've grown up with the Second Lord, if I saw the title fight again with my own eyes, maybe I would notice something more. No, I'm sure it must be.

　I lost interest in the blonde's battle and thought about the title fight that would come sooner or later.

''Well, if I go to the rainbow dragon, I'm going to die. Even a gold dragon would be bad.''
　Lord Second-dono is concerned for the blonde.

　If you're right, that's bad, should I go for advice here?
　As I was thinking about this, the blonde man and the woman in the maid's uniform left, as if their thoughts had been understood. It's not that I'm not an expert, but I think I know what I'm doing.

It's time for us to go home. We're going to meet up with Yukari as soon as possible, and tomorrow we're going to see the mansion.

　Second-dono is cheerfully leaving the Metio dungeon, and Eco is skipping hand in hand.

　I don't know what that feels like. To tell the truth, I'm smiling too.
　In the skills section, the long awaited "Dragon Horse Archery" and "Dragon King Archery" were listed, and from now on, a large sum of money of 30 billion CL was going to come in to live with Second-dono in his huge mansion. It was so smooth sailing that it was scary!

　Eco is fine with it as long as she is with the Second Lord, so not much has changed, but Yukari's joy is really remarkable. The corners of her mouth are going up as she goes around the Prolin dungeon, and she's even smiling normally at the end. That expressionless dark ghost Yukari, that is.
　But that one is more scary than simply happy, as if she's planning something. Ummm, we need to be vigilant .......

'Oi, I'm going to leave Sylvia behind!
"Oh, sorry, I'm coming!

　Anyway, I'll do as I was told and raise Ryoma and Dragon King for the title fight.
　If you follow Second-dono, there is no doubt about it. This time I understood that very well.

　I nodded to myself and ran to that big, hateful, loving back that was thinly veiled and about to leave me in the dragon's nest.