Chapter 65 of 100

Chapter 65

10 min read2,516 words

"Mako-sama!"

"Orkidea, get the customers to safety."

As I looked up at the dragon, which must have been several meters tall, hovering before us, I spoke to Orkidea, who had run up to me.

"Since this is a city, I don't think your power will work here. But just in case, I'll give you the liquid fertilizer."

"I understand, Mako-sama!"

"Uncle!"

I turned around to see Maple and her parents looking worriedly at me.

"Mako! Are you okay!?"

Reyle, who was guiding the customers with the rest of the Beowulf group, also looked at me with a worried expression.

In such an unprecedented situation, it would be unusual for people not to panic.

"I'm fine, Reyle."

To her, Mau and Meala, who were standing nearby, added:

"Mako always helps us."

"With Gurai, we can defeat any enemy."

"But... even so..."

At that moment, I realized something.

Not only our customers but also the citizens of the capital who were nearby had gathered due to the situation.

Everyone was murmuring, reacting to the sudden appearance of the dragon in the city.

"What is that dragon...?"

"Where did it come from? It just appeared!"

"Where are the Adventurer Guild and the knights? Hurry up and do something!"

The murmurs of the crowd.

Some of them noticed our presence, standing against the dragon.

"Hey, isn't that...?"

"That's the store manager of the shop that sells the special products from the Beowulf village, right?"

"Isn't that the one who solved the incident with the black wolf pack?"

"No, I think it's the adventurer who instantly killed a demon!"

"Then, can we feel safe!?"

"If the story about defeating the demon is true, he should be fine!"

"Defeating a demon and a dragon... If he can do that, he'd be an S-rank adventurer... No, he'd be on par with the few SS-rank adventurers in history!"

"Come on, do your best! Drive that dragon away!"

It seems various rumors about me are spreading...

The crowd's murmurs spread, and soon, expectant and admiring gazes and voices were directed at us.

"Well..."

While receiving the cheers of the capital's citizens, I began to think calmly about how to handle the situation.

"Iksa, do you understand what's happening?"

"Completely unexpected."

Iksa, standing beside me, looked up at the sky, just like me.

"Nero was always talked about among the royal family as an unusual existence since birth... but I never thought he was a dragon."

"More accurately, a dragon anthropomorph."

Nero, looking down at us with his crimson eyes, spoke with his fanged mouth, his voice tone unchanged from before.

"The king's child with a dragon... I guess he's testing all possibilities as his successor, but to go this far... that man is really something."

Iksa sighed, placing a hand on his forehead.

Well, I don't really want to imagine how he did it... but I can understand his exasperation.

"Anyway, how did Nero, a dragon anthropomorph, transform into a dragon?"

"He mentioned the power of that magic stone."

On Nero's chest, a large, evil-looking stone was visible, pulsating as if it were a heart on the surface of his skin.

"Probably, Iksa. I think Nero is in a similar state to the previous Cro."

"Huh? Me?"

Cro reacted to my words.

"You said you were lured by some voice, right? Perhaps, that magic stone was given to you by the same entity."

And it ignited the destructive desires he already had.

By giving him an item that could fulfill his wishes, they are trying to make him destroy the capital.

"I don't think persuasion will work."

"Probably not."

Nero wouldn't stop.

He would continue to destroy everything.

"So, let's fight. Let's combine our strength and defeat Nero."

I said this to everyone standing around me.

"I'm sorry... If I had more power left, I could have analyzed Nero's abilities and devised a favorable strategy..."

Moguro, who had appeared, whispered regretfully.

"No, I think the weakness is that."

I pointed to the enlarged magic stone on Nero's chest.

I can't be certain, but if we destroy that...

"Here he comes!"

At that moment, Suaro shouted.

Nero bent his head back, preparing to breathe fire again.

"Not a chance!"

Cro moved.

He leaped from the ground, releasing the lightning that had been charging in his body, aiming it at Nero.

"..."

The lightning hit, interrupting Nero's attack.

The area hit was charred and smoking, but it wasn't a significant damage.

In an instant, Nero's massive tail swung, striking Cro's body.

"Ugh!"

"Cro!"

The black beast's body was thrown and collided with the wall of a nearby building.

"..."

But just before impact, Entia, who had reacted quickly, caught him, reducing the shock.

"You're too cocky, you idiot!"

"Shut up, white fur ball..."

Both seemed to be fine.

I sighed in relief.

"Gurai."

I turned to Gurai.

"About the time Gurai defeated the evil dragon..."

"Yes."

Gurai seemed to understand immediately.

"From now on, we'll use the same method. Everyone, follow my instructions."

Gurai briefly explained, and everyone understood and began to move.

I immediately headed towards Entia and Cro.

"Entia, come with me."

"Understood, Mako."

"And, Cro."

"What is it, Mako?"

I made a request to Cro alone.

"Cro, you're the key to this battle."

"..."

The sound of his voice was not bad.

"Stop laughing and get moving, black bun."

* * * * *

First, we needed to deprive the dragon of its mobility.

This was the top priority according to Gurai's instructions.

If it flies high, it would be difficult to reach.

It's a simple strategy, but sealing this function would quickly turn the tide in our favor.

Everyone started moving towards their objectives.

"Roar!"

Entia, carrying me, jumped directly in front of Nero.

Seeing Entia charging, Nero tried to swing his log-like arm irritably—

"Take this! Divine Light of the Wolf!"

Instantly, a blinding light was released from Entia's body.

His magic.

The naming could use some work, though.

"!"

Surprised by the sudden light, Nero closed his eyes, creating a large opening.

"Huff!"

Seizing the opportunity, Suaro circled around to Nero's back.

To deprive him of mobility, the target was the wings.

Aiming for the base of one wing, he drew his sword, a magic-infused katana I had created.

The blade, charged with magic, released a cutting attack that inflicted a wound on the wing but did not sever it.

"You annoying flies."

Nero's head turned towards Suaro.

In that instant, I threw the paint I had created at his eyes.

"..."

It was only a momentary blind, but it was enough to create an opening.

Suaro used this time to move out of range of Nero's attack.

Meanwhile, I instructed Entia to jump closer to Nero's body.

In my hand, I crafted a metal stake with a sharp tip and a circular loop at the opposite end.

Infusing it with magic, I threw it at Nero's body.

The stake pierced through, but the damage was probably minimal, like a needle prick.

But it was fine... this was just a setup for the next move.

"Here it comes!"

I continued to create and throw stakes at Nero's body.

"Annoying... It's meaningless—"

Nero writhed in irritation.

"Haa!"

On his back, Urushima, who had been accelerated, landed.

Upon landing, she swung her large sword at the base of Nero's wing.

"!"

The pain from the additional attack, added to the previous one from Suaro, made Nero react.

"..."

"Everything is ready!"

Our chain of attacks continued.

Nero, realizing this for the first time, saw Akashi, who had already landed on his body using the skill "Ninja Step."

Having completed his "preparation," Akashi raised his hand as a signal and jumped off Nero's back.

"Ha! Take this, evil dragon!"

On the ground, Delphi had created a "bomb" in his hand.

"Behold my artistic bombing!"

He shouted and threw the glass balloon at Nero.

Indeed, his bomb caused a powerful explosion, but given Nero's massive size, it wouldn't cause significant damage—

—until the moment of impact, explosions began to occur all over Nero's body, covering him completely.

"Ugh!"

Akashi had secretly placed Delphi's bombs all over Nero's body.

The chain reaction resulted in a massive explosion.

Nero's massive body, hit by the blast and pressure, fell from the sky.

"Did it work!?"

Urushima shouted, seeing this.

That's a flag!

"..."

Unfortunately, my prediction was correct.

With his injured body, Nero flapped his wings and rose into the air again.

"..."

But then Nero realized something.

His body wouldn't rise any further.

Despite flapping his wings, he couldn't ascend.

It was as if he was being "pulled" down—

—my preparation had taken effect.

"!"

Confused, Nero looked down and understood.

"Roar!"

"Everyone, put in some effort!"

There, a large number of adventurers had gathered.

They had rushed to the scene upon hearing about the commotion, coming from the Adventurer Guild.

"Kora, I've called the adventurers!"

"We're ready, Kora!"

Actually, I had asked Beltana to go to the guild on the backs of the boars that had stayed in the capital.

In response to her call, they had rushed here.

They were now pulling on the "chains" in their hands, which extended into the sky and connected to the metal stakes I had previously embedded in Nero's body.

This was the secret preparation I had made.

"That new guy is fighting hard! What are we going to do if we don't help?"

"Even though he's a new guy, his rank is higher than ours! I heard he's going to be promoted to A-rank, right!?"

"Shut up!"

The strong men I had met on my first day at the guild—Boomer and his friends—were also pulling the chains.

Actually, the A-rank promotion isn't confirmed yet.

"Magic! Those with magic, pour it into the chains!"

"This 'chain' is a magic item created by Mako! Pouring magic should make it effective!"

It was like whaling.

The strength of the strong men and the power of those with magic combined to pull the chains, trying to drag Nero's body to the ground.

"Pull!"

Looking closely, the piglets were also biting and pulling the chains.

Be careful!

"Ugh!"

Nero let out a cry of agony.

"..."

He roared and, with his body being restrained, began to rotate, trying to wrap the chains around his body.

"Roar!"

"Ah!"

The impact of his desperate action caused the adventurers to be thrown back, and the chains began to unravel.

With the chains still wrapped around his body, Nero tried to rise into the air again.

"..."