Chapter 64

The Eighth Prince -- Nero Bahamut Grouga.

Iksa had told me he was seven years old.

Indeed, he looked like a child...

Wearing a long black coat, his hair was silver.

He had dark circles under his eyes, and his gaze was terribly poor.

Is he really seven years old?

He has a rather mature appearance.

His build and aura... don't seem like those of a seven-year-old at all.

"Hmm..."

Nero looked around the silent shop and muttered.

It was a dry, uninterested voice.

"So, this is... Iksa's favorite shop, huh?"

"You took your sweet time getting here, Nero."

Iksa said to Nero, who responded with a flat tone.

"Hey, Iksa."

Not changing his expression, Nero looked at Iksa.

"Do you know that this match has already been decided?"

"I know. I just heard it from the supervisor."

Ah, that.

Nero then pointed to Brad, who was lying on the floor.

"Sorry for making a mess. There's a lot of trash outside too."

"..."

His voice and eyes showed no emotion, as if he felt nothing about the situation.

Could he be the one who trampled Brad and his companions?

I turned my gaze to Iksa.

"..."

Iksa, as if reading my question, murmured.

"Nero's combat strength is unknown... unclear."

But -- Iksa continued.

"Regardless, it doesn't matter now. Nero, if you know the match has already been decided, let's talk about what comes next."

"What comes next?"

"The match was won by my agent, Mako. She successfully turned this shop into the most prosperous one in the capital in just three days."

Pointing at me, Iksa said.

"Your agent, Brad, and his companions, who work as bodyguards in the dark streets, have been purged by you, as you can see. That's all over now. From now on, it's about you and me."

"..."

"Due to this major defeat, your ranking as a royal heir will drop significantly. I will receive various rights. I will take control of the country's underworld... the network of the underground society, in your place. So --"

"Ah, it's fine, I don't care."

Nero responded to Iksa's words.

He didn't care.

"You won the match, Iksa. Congratulations. Ah, my assets? Rights? Sure, take them all. This will be a big leap forward for you as a royal candidate, impressive."

"..."

Iksa was puzzled by Nero's seemingly insane words.

Yeah, it's not just a matter of giving up or being reckless.

Maybe he's just saying crazy things out of spite, but his tone sounds genuine.

No, genuine isn't the right word...

It seems like he really doesn't care about anything.

"..."

Nero continued, looking around the shop, its interior, the products, and the people gathered there.

"I came here today to take a good look."

"..."

"At the castle where that bastard father of mine is."

Looking up at the royal castle, which sits at the top of the capital.

"The city that thrives beneath it, teeming with humans."

Looking at the customers in the shop, and at Urshima and Delphi nearby.

"The brother I've never liked... Iksa."

Looking at Iksa.

"And the things Iksa cherishes."

Finally, looking at me.

Nero said.

"I wanted to take a good look at what I'm going to destroy."

"Nero, stop joking around. I have no intention of engaging in such a ridiculous conversation --"

In an instant.

Nero reached into his pocket and pulled out something in his hand.

It was a small sphere, about the size of his palm.

A gem? Metal?

A stone, perhaps, with a disturbing color?

"What is that?"

"This 'magic stone' enhances the 'power' that lies dormant within me."

"Huh? A magic stone?"

Delphi reacted to Nero's words.

"Isn't that the rumored treasure that was said to be sleeping in the cave on the mountain I explored on a mission the other day?"

Delphi looked at Beltana, who nodded.

I remember, that treasure was never found...

"Why do you have it?"

"I heard it."

Ignoring Delphi's question, Nero continued.

"One day, directly in my head. 'I will grant your wish.' 'I will let you destroy everything you want to destroy.' 'I will give you the power to do so.' And then, this magic stone was delivered to me."

"..."

My memories swirled and came to mind.

'When I was driven out of my home by that regiment and was burning with a desire for revenge, a voice suddenly echoed in my head.'

'"As a descendant of the divine wolf, lead your companions and defeat the evil humans." I thought it was a divine revelation.'

The words I heard when I first met Cro.

'They are a cunning race, with sharp minds. Moreover, they are cruel, enjoying the deception and manipulation of not only humans but various creatures.'

The words Urshima said when we went to rescue Delphi.

Yes, I remember.

The treasure in the cave was gone.

No, it was already taken by someone?

By whom?

Why did demons suddenly appear on that mountain at that time?

Various events, still unclear, connected and formed a single line.

Nero didn't stop.

A faint light enveloped the magic stone in his hand.

It might be his own magic power.

In an instant, the eerie luster of the magic stone seemed to come to life and writhed.

Nero pressed it against his chest.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Nero let out a roar.

His body began to change with a sound.

"!"

Gurai was the first to react.

He burst through the floor, rushed to Nero, grabbed his transforming body, and jumped out of the shop.

"Gurai!"

The shop was in chaos.

I instructed everyone to evacuate, including the members of *Beowulf*, the lord of Weeblue, and Reyle, and then I left the shop.

"!"

Outside, I saw an unexpected sight.

'...This treasure enhances the power within me.'

I immediately found Gurai and ran over to him.

'The power that was smoldering within me... the power that was only partially inherited... the power I was supposed to have.'

I looked up at the sky with Gurai.

'It has always been so uncomfortable... but today, I can destroy all that discomfort.'

Large wings.

A body covered in pitch-black scales.

Eyes as red as blood.

That figure was --

"Is that... Nero?"

"...Yeah."

Gurai must have seen the entire transformation.

The figure soaring in the sky was truly a dragon.

Nero Bahamut Grouga had transformed into a dragon.

'I am the child of the current king and a dragon... Isn't that crazy? That bastard father of mine created a child with a dragon.'

Nero flapped his wings even more widely and gained altitude.

His neck moved as if taking a deep breath --

"Trouble!"

Gurai shouted.

I also understood what Nero was about to do.

'Vanish.'

Nero's mouth spewed a breath of fire.

A huge wave of flames rushed down from the sky, covering us, our shop, and the surrounding area.

"Sis!"

"Mako!"

Entia and Cro flew to me.

"Get on! We're escaping!"

"No! We can't escape!"

I looked at Gurai.

"Gurai!"

"...I'll use 30%."

Instantly, Gurai clenched his fist and activated his *Oni* power.

His magic-infused fist was imbued with a power that combined his own strength.

"Entia! Take Gurai and jump!"

"~No choice!"

Gurai climbed onto Entia's back, and she kicked off the ground.

In mid-air, Gurai swung his fist at the approaching wave of flames.

A massive shockwave erupted, scattering the flames in the air.

"Ouch!"

Entia rolled on the ground to extinguish the fire on her fur.

Gurai, who also landed, immediately looked up at Nero in the sky.

"...I don't know the details, but it's clear that he's trying to destroy this city."

Iksa, along with Suaro and Urshima, came to us.

"...You don't need to ask, but what are you going to do? Mako."

"It's obvious."

Nero said he would destroy everything he wanted to, and that obviously included me, Iksa, and our shop.

"If he comes, we have to stand and fight. Besides, there are many important things to us in this capital."

*Yellow Scales Pavilion*.

The Adventurer's Guild.

Reyle's shop.

The homes of the noble ladies and Maple and the others.

I've made quite a few friends.

"We have to fight to protect them."

I glared up at Nero, who was looking down at the ground, and declared.

"Fight or die!" -- I thought of the catchphrase from *Kamen Rider Ryuki* while saying it.