Chapter 261

Chapter 261. Fire Dragon VS Wind Dragon

Wind ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Dragon Ventus whistled as he looked up at the sky.

“It’s ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍already heating up over there.”

Nearby ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍in the sky, Cos, the First Daughter riding a wyvern, and the First Son of Millesdusk riding a Bone Wyvern were already locked in fierce combat.

Her ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍opponent wielded his sword skillfully even while facing a Wind-Attribute mage high in the air.

Ventus ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could see Cos bite her lip as she realized the fight would drag on.

“It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍won’t be easy for you this time, either. I ought to take my time watching while I have the chance to see you like this.”

For the first time in a very long while, the human prodigy was even sweating as she fought someone.

He wanted to lie back in the air, watch that arrogant human, and tease her some more, but he could not today.

He forced himself to hold back and loosened up first.

“It’s been a really, really long time since I fought another dragon, especially a Fire Dragon.”

He could still laugh, but even that laugh was dry.

Only a dragon could rival a dragon, and his opponent was a Fire-Attribute dragon, the natural enemy of his Wind Attribute.

Ventus let out a long breath and steadied his breathing. Then he gave another little laugh.

“Well, I’m a liiittle nervous myself.”

The heat that young Fire Dragon was giving off made his lips crack. As expected, it was intense for a dragon of the age he had estimated from their last meeting.

“All right. Let’s burn and cut each other to pieces.”

WHOOSH—!!

He pushed off the deck and leaped.

The wind rushing up from below swept all his hair back and made his face tremble.

He gave himself over to the sky as though lying down, spinning through the air as the battlefield came into view from every angle.

Wisdom’s First Daughter and Millesdusk’s First Son clashed.

Though surrounded by tens of thousands of spirits, the Sky Mages kept their defenses to a minimum and never stopped firing their Mana Cannons.

When Bone Wyverns tried to descend upon them from above, Skeleton Giants rose from the ground.

It was a battle in utter chaos, and Ventus added another measure of enormity to the tumultuous field.

SHWOOOOOOSH—

The dazzling white light lasted only a moment before swirling winds encircled him on every side.

Within the pure white light, immense wings and a massive body gradually took shape.

Like an egg a bird had hatched from, or like the first snowfall, the white light broke into fragments and scattered through the air.

All that remained was a white-scaled dragon with green eyes and black pupils slit vertically.

ROOOAR—!!!

Ventus roared.

A metallic shriek that threatened to tear ears from heads mingled with a beast’s cry and spread across the battlefield.

The sound reached the Black Colossal Fortress, which was dropping Skeleton Giants onto the ground.

And to one being aboard the fortress, that sound was a summons.

“…It is time.”

Fire Dragon Kairos, who had been standing still in the Black Colossal Fortress’s Skeleton Giant storage chamber, stepped forward.

The chamber, where enormous Skeleton Giants had been curled up until moments ago, was now empty.

The floor had split apart to either side and dropped the giants, quickly clearing the chamber.

Now it was the dragon’s turn to drop.

Kairos looked back at the human woman standing by the outer wall.

“I leave it to you.”

“Of course.”

The woman who had introduced herself as the Fourth Son’s Chief Secretary bowed, neither too deeply nor too little.

Then she pulled the lever in the storage chamber, and the floor beneath his feet vanished.

THUD—

WHOOOOOSH—!!

As he fell, fierce winds wrapped around his body.

There was no need to angle his limbs to balance himself or turn his gaze.

He could tell where his enemy was with his eyes closed. What he needed now was enough distance.

The Fire Dragon, released outside, simply kept falling until he had gained enough distance.

FWOOSHHHH—

In an instant, immense heat exploded alongside a fierce red light, as though the sun had fallen to earth.

The heat swept through the surroundings like a bomb’s shock wave.

As the spherical wave of searing heat spread, heat haze shimmered in the air and the ground caught fire.

The West’s green wilderness close to the dragon became a living hell of drifting ash, while farther away, it caught bright red fire and burned.

The Fire Dragon’s wingbeats fed the flames, fire coiled around his claws, and he held fire in his jaws.

ROOOAR—!!!

An answering roar shook the battlefield after the first roar’s summons.

It was an explosive roar, like a volcano beginning to erupt. Ventus, flying against the endless open sky, changed course.

The Fire Dragon flew to meet him.

This was the humans’ battlefield. The dragons could not fight on the same field, and neither of them wanted to.

Only after they had flown so far that they could barely hear the humans fighting did the two dragons face each other.

Ventus tilted his head slightly as his green eyes met the Fire Dragon’s red ones.

[Whenever I meet a Fire Dragon face-to-face like this, a fight breaks out, so I rarely get a good look. Even so, those eyes are different from the Fire Dragons I remember.]

[Does that matter?]

[No. It does not.]

Ventus drew up the corners of his long mouth. Unlike the Fire Dragon, he had a long, serpentine neck, a slender body, and even larger wings.

His body was perfectly suited to riding the wind and creating it.

[Shall we begin?]

Ventus turned a full circle in midair.

The current formed along the path of his somersault kept spinning until it became a vortex.

The whirlwind he had made with a single turn shook the roots of the trees below.

[Petty tricks.]

The Fire Dragon muttered coldly and breathed out lightly.

FWOOSH—!!

It was a ball of fire hotter, faster, and larger than the superheated mana projectiles fired by the Tower of the Sky’s Mana Cannons.

The fireball struck the whirlwind head-on and vanished in an instant, but the wind did not escape unscathed either.

Ventus opened his mouth as well, though all that emerged was a small sound of admiration rather than a fireball.

[Impressive. I mixed it with the natural wind on purpose, so you could not tell how much mana the whirlwind held. Yet you dispelled exactly the whirlwind, no more and no less.]

Ventus knew why, too.

[You’re testing me, aren’t you? Absorbing this little wind would barely increase your firepower, so you want me to show more of my cards.]

[…]

[How curious. Truly curious. Such a human way of thinking, from a Fire Dragon of all creatures.]

[…Are Wind Dragons always so talkative?]

[Heh. You instinctively know to dislike Wind Dragons, yet you know so little about us.]

Ventus laughed briefly and turned another somersault in midair. This time, however, he did not stop at one.

His long tail, lithe body, and neck moved fluidly, tracing a vortex.

As though Ventus were the whirlwind’s very shape and its embodied form, the white dragon became like a current of wind.

[I should say this first: I bear you no personal grudge.]

[Nor do I.]

[Really? That is hardly convincing when your eyes are dripping with resentment.]

[My personal feelings have no part in this battle. I will merely remove you from my master’s path.]

Ventus could not hold back his laughter.

[A dragon with a master. A Fire Dragon serving a human as his master.]

SHHHHHHH—

Thick clouds began to gather in the sky. At the same time, Ventus’s movements, like a dance, sent the wind he had compressed spreading in every direction.

[One lives long enough to see anything.]

Gray winds spiraling in eddies descended from the sky to the ground.

WHOOOOOOOSH—!!

CRACK— CRACK—

The Wind-Attribute tornadoes tore even the trees of the forest free in an instant.

They swept across the ground and swiftly began to surround their enemy, trapping the Fire Dragon in the blink of an eye.

With the Fire Dragon driven into a cage of raging wind, Ventus spoke.

[Stay there quietly until the battle ends. My wind can slice through dragon scales with ease. If you absorb it, your insides will become a muddy mess.]

Ventus approached the dragon he had caged at a leisurely pace.

[Have you ever absorbed wind in the first place? You seem to have lived in the East. Did you ever have the chance?]

[I have never absorbed it.]

[Right? I thought so. Then you really must not try. Stay still if you do not want to die. I’ll let you out when this is over.]

[But my master once said this.]

Master. Master. Ventus’s eyes narrowed at that grating word. The vortices closed in with them, shrinking the cage.

[Would you stop saying that? It’s starting to turn my stomach.]

The Fire Dragon, about to say something, changed the subject instead.

[That is because there is no one in your West worthy of even a dragon’s service.]

[…Did you not hear me tell you to stop?]

[Dispel this vortex and bow your head before my master. Then I, too, will restrain the anger boiling up from my instincts.]

[A Fire Dragon is a Fire Dragon after all. Your kind always needs to see blood before coming to your senses.]

Ventus drew closer to the cage.

[Since you bow your head even before humans, let us see how well you can crouch inside there.]

RUMMMMMBLE—

The cage of Wind Blades grew narrower and narrower, until it was far too small to hold the enormous Fire Dragon.

[I’ll watch you up close.]

As Ventus stretched out his neck, the Fire Dragon finally decided to finish what he had been saying. He shared it with Ventus.

[At least once in life, there comes a time when you must run before you learn to walk.]

[…What?]

The Fire Dragon thrust his head into the Wind Blades.

It was as though he had pressed his face against countless blades. Ventus faltered in surprise for an instant, leaving an opening.

Cuts sprang up all over the scales covering the Fire Dragon’s face and the horns atop his head.

But in exchange, his head broke free of the vortex cage, and he showed Ventus a long smile.

[Caught you.]

His face covered in blood, the Fire Dragon opened his jaws wide and bit into the back of Ventus’s neck.

Dragon blood flooded the body that had been reborn as a Blood Fire Dragon in service to his master.

***

The Fourth Son had no particular means of taking to the air, so he took charge of the ground.

But there were always two ways to put a thing.

The Fourth Son presented it as taking charge of the ground because he excelled at ground combat more than anyone, rather than because he had no way to fly.

Seated on the shoulder of a giant twenty meters tall, the Fourth Son advanced with other giants lined up beside and behind him.

The Tower of the Sky was in the air, but this was a sort of demonstration.

Keep firing your Mana Cannons at our main force, and your defensive line will be breached. That was the message.

“Isn’t anyone coming my way~? That lunatic’s already having fun.”

The Fourth Son whistled as he set the giants in motion.

With little else to do, he had them uproot nearby trees and hurl them toward the tower, whoosh after whoosh.

The trees could not reach the height of the Tower of the Sky, but they could convey a message: I’m here. Pay me some attention.

And someone really did answer.

“Oh! Someone’s here, someone’s here.”

He clapped his hands and looked at the wyvern that had stopped around the giant’s eye level, and at the man riding it.

“And who might you be~?”

“…Wisdom’s Third Son. Ryan Blue Wisdom.”

“Mm-hmm. I’m the Fourth Son, Jamie Black Millesdusk. But~.”

The Fourth Son swept his gaze around Ryan on his blue wyvern.

“Did you come alone?”

Ryan could hardly point out that Jamie was alone too when the Fourth Son was sitting atop a giant, with dozens more giants large and small beside and behind him.

Ryan scoffed and answered.

“I don’t know why I’d need anyone else for this much.”

“Oooh~. Where did you find the courage to say that? Recklessness? Hot blood? Youthful foolishness?”

“I’ve never met a decent man who talks this much.”

“Hahaha! That’s because you haven’t met our youngest~.”

“……”

The Third Son’s expression stiffened instantly at the mention of the youngest son. The Fourth Son from Millesdusk did not miss it.

“Ahh, that’s right~. Wisdom’s Third Son is that incompetent fool who went to the Imperial Palace as part of the delegation and got his ass handed to him by our youngest, isn’t he~? This should be an easy win.”

“…I will kill you.”

Five magic circles appeared one after another behind Ryan as he rode the wyvern.

Each was a different color, and they orbited the Third Son.

“It does not matter which attribute you prepared for. I wield all of them.”

The five magic circles, each bearing magic of a different attribute, shone in five different colors.

RelatedRelatedRelated