318 – Azalea (side Azalea)

“…To think I would be forced to use [Summon] at this time.”

As its purpose is to act as a decoy, I summoned only a lesser lecherta to conserve magic power, but being forced to use the magic power that I sacrificed my body for is not pleasant.

Hearing my murmur, the mage by my side, Sherry, hangs her head apologetically.
The magic she cast to hide my presence, [Hide], was insufficiently precise, so it seemed that one of the ouroboros’s heads had noticed us.

“Sherry, your skill with magic is even praised by Nowell… But that head of its had remarkably good perception.”

Our anti-ouroboros force is split between seven inside the cave and Sherry and myself outside.
Though Sherry is only here to [Hide] me from the ouroboros.

When I considered that enough must accompany Tolman-kakka to prevent the worst from happening, these eight are the most I could take with me.
More importantly, it matters little what number I take with me.

That is because I of course have no intention of carrying out a proper battle.
If that really is an ouroboros, then it is a magic beast worthy of the A rank designation.
The ouroboros is known to fight by making use of its overwhelming stamina and magic power to raise an endless tide of undead, so it is fotunate that there have not been any undead other than the undead child from earlier.
Even so, it is not an opponent that can be defeated through a frontal assault.
Even in a weakened, humanised state, that does not change.

I will lure the ouroboros into the cave, then dragonise and release [Dragoflare] into the cave to collapse it and bury it alive.
That has been my objective from the start.
I told Tolman-kakka that I would use [Flare], but that was so that the other members would not know I was planning on burying them with it.
Attempting to kill an ouroboros with [Flare] would be utter foolishness, and is doubtful whether [Dragoflare] could kill too.
In order to kill it with any certainty, there is no other way but to ram it with [Dragoflare] while it is being crushed by the collapsing cave.

“Azalea-sama… Umm, when do you plan on recalling Nowell-sama and the others?”

“……”

“Azalea-sama?”

“Inform Tolman-kakka that they were the greatest factor in subjugating the ouroboros.”

“Th-that means… A-Aalea-sama, are you not concerned for that beastman boy…?”

“We’re in the midst of battle, so I don’t have enough leeway for those feelings, but don’t raise your voice so much.”

Sherry appears to want to say something, but keeps her mouth closed.
The casualties suffered by the 『Starved Hunters』on this trip are far from normal.
This will only increase that number by not even ten people.
This is only a small sacrifice for my lord’s path.

Eventually, the sound of repeated sword strikes can be heard from inside the cave.
Nell must have used that sword skill of his.
For him to use it now, it won’t be long now.
Their annihilation is only a matter of time.
They lasted longer than I thought.

“Sherry, you’ve done enough.
Go catch up to Tolman-sama and the others.”

“Azalea-sama, what are you…?”

I will use [Dragonisation Technique] for the first time in a long while.
The load on my body is severe, so it is not something I can use casually.
But I can’t shoot [Dragoflare] from a human body.
Even if I could, the effect would be greatly diminished, and to make matters worse, my own body would be destroyed by the backlash.

As I spread magic power throughout my body, the temperature of my blood rises sharply.
I search my memories for the sensation of dragon blood mixing into my body, and hold that mental image strongly in mind.

My body immediately starts expanding as I’m assailed by a powerful excitement.
I’ve undergone mental training so I could withstand it in an emergency, but the feelings it instils in me are far from easy to suppress.
Perhaps it is inherent to dragons, but I am attacked by a strong urge to destroy.

My perspective rises.
At the edge of my field view, I see Sherry startled.
I have used this on missions for Tolman-kakka before, so many within the 『Starved Hunters』should know I can do this, but seems it had yet to reach Sherry.

I kick off the ground with my enlarged feet and rush towards the cave entrance.
I grip the ceiling with my claw as I peer inside.
There it is.
Its appearance is diverged from what I expected, now looking like an unshapely mass of scales.
It must have transformed to defend against Nell’s attack.
The mass of scales turns towards the entrance and meets my eyes.

“UoO, ooOOoOOOO…”

My voice leaks out involuntarily.
This body, this blood, is eager to fight that dragon.

I gather magic power in front of myself, creating a ball of red-hot light.
Once enough magic power is accumulated, I swallow the sphere, then spit it towards the humanised ouroboros.
The shock of the [Dragoflare] tears apart the inner walls of the cave.
Its destructive power is more than enough.
Perhaps having noticed my actions, the ouroboros undoes its [Humanisation Technique] as it runs towards the cave exit.

Its huge body presses against the cave walls.
The [Dragoflare] explodes into its chest as it struggles to move.

Together with the ouroboros’s two-layered roar, the cave begins to collapse.
Huge clumps of earth tear from the walls and ceiling and pummel down onto it.
It spreads its wings in an attempt to force back the collapsing earth and escape the destruction, but it is soon buried behind more earth that comes raining down.
The thunderous sound continues on for some time.

There is not the slightest sign of movement from the pile of earth that was the cave.
I had feared that the ouroboros might perhaps survive, but it looks like even it can’t remain alive after being crushed under a mountain of earth… But I need to be certain.
I worry that it could hide under the earth to restore its magic power.

I once again open my mouth and gather magic power in front of me to form a red hot sphere.
It seems to be finally trying to break out through the ceiling.
In that case… I adjust my aim further back slightly.
I spot a slightly unnatural bulge in that area.

I swallow the sphere as I spread my withered wings and leap up high.
I then release my second [Dragoflare].
The scorching heat smashes through the earth and sand, sending shakes throughout the entirety of the collapsed cave.

The earth splits open, revealing the prone figure of the ouroboros.
It seems I predicted its position correctly.
Its pale body surface is exposed, burnt black in places.
Blue blood leaks out where it has been crushed by rocks.
Its wings have also been completely pulverised, and there are already no traces of it boldly struggling any more.

It doesn’t move.
Even though its position has been exposed and could continue to be hit by attacks, it doesn’t stir at all.
It’s finally used up all its strength.
I don’t have enough magic power for another [Dragoflare], but I can still lift out its corpse.
I run over the mountain of collapsed earth then leap up and aim its fallen back.

The ouroboros’s eyes snap open and both of its heads rise.
Its crushed wings spread open as it sends me flying with a swing of its foreleg.

“Uoaaah!”

I quickly scramble to my feet upon hitting the ground.
It was an attack made as it was getting up, so fortunately there wasn’t much force behind it.
But how is it still able to move? I knew it was a monster of stamina, but I never thought it would be to this extent.
It’s still breathing even after taking two direct hits from [Dragoflare] and being caught up in the cave in.
With that being the case, why was it not moving before?

I drop my line of sight to where it was and see the Lithovar children that were taken hostage gathered together, all practically unhurt.
Nell is also visible there.

“…”

It seems the reason it headed further back was not to escape, but rather to protect the children.
But I still doubt it could have protected all of them entirely from the collapse… It probably used healing magic.
I’m astonished.
I exaggerated the terror of the ouroboros to Nell in order to incite him, but I didn’t think anything I said was factually incorrect.

So I could never have imagined that it would still prioritise the children even after being driven into a corner to this extent.
It’s own body is in tatters.
It must have prioritised the healing of the children and used up the last of its magic power.

Its previous blow…was pretty light.
My remaining magic power is also poor.
Maintaining my dragonised form for any longer is dangerous and puts my life at risk… But with this body, I can push through.
Its body surface has been scraped away by the [Dragoflares] and the cave in, but there aren’t any signs of it regenerating or healing with any speed.
If I can attack its weaked part with all my strength, I should be able to kill it.

“Guuuuu…”

The ouroboros glares at me from low to the ground.
I suspect it can’t even bear the weight of its own huge body at the moment.

“UoOOOOOOoOh!”

I quickly close the distance and swing my claw up to gouge out its vulnerable chest.
I carve four deep lines through its exposed flesh.

“GuoOh!” “Gaah!”

Its enraged heads snap at me from either side.
I am able to read its movements and quickly step back.
I can do this.
Its movements have slowed down.
It’s at death’s door.
It was extremely close, but it’s my victory.

“Uu, UuUU…”

I try to kick off the ground to leap into the air, but all I achieve is pressing my knees into the ground.
I’m out of magic power.
My body is about to revert.
When I try to move my legs, my entire body is racked with a terrifying sharp pain.
I’ve never kept up dragonisation right until the limit before.
I’ve always been too worried about what would happen to my body.
I’m no longer in any state to fight.

So I change my line of thinking.
Up to now, I’ve focused on resisting the frenzied urges that come with dragonisation.
But now it is better to abandon myself to my instincts.
I devote my thoughts only to maintaining my body.

“UoOOoOOOOOOOhh!”

My body suddenly feels lighter.
My field of vision narrows.
I don’t know if it’s due to the excitement or the limits of my body, but my heart beats thunderously.
The only sound I can hear is the beating of my own heart.

It feels as though my body isn’t my own, as though something else is moving it.
But I can tell I’m aiming for the ouroboros’s chest.

Attacks will easily pierce its exposed flesh.
I instinctively know that the next attack will kill it.

I hear the ouroboros’s cry.
My right arm is bitten.
I try to pull it back, but instead lose up to my shoulder.
It’s on the verge of death, but that’s why it is able to make such a ferocious attack.
But it’s fortunate my arm was cleanly torn off rather than only bitten into.
I leap to the side and swing the claw of my left arm towards it.

It should have hit.
I won.
I should have won.
But there’s no sensation.
There’s no feedback.
When I look down, I notice that my left arm hasn’t risen.
A faint memory rises to my consciousness.
Ah, that’s right, I let my left arm, my dominant arm, be taken by that undead girl in order to save magic power.

I look up.
The ouroboros’s heads mysteriously fade further and further away.
Our eyes meet.

“――”

I’m not able to hear what is said.
The next instant, a powerful blow crashes into my side.
Strangely, there’s no pain.

――

『Fuhahahaha, Azalea, you’ve done well! To think you managed to kill that ouroboros! The reason I have become king is entirely thanks to your strength! What a good find you were indeed!』

『If it’s my lord, then… no, if it’s your majesty, then even if you had you missed that chance, you would surely have found your way to your current position nonetheless.』

As I restate myself, the corners of Tolman-sama’s mouth raise in a smile.
As of today, Tolman-sama is the king of Ardesia.
I can’t call him my lord like before.

『Your flattery is most welcome, Azalea.
Fuhahahaha! No one is more suitable that you to be my right hand!』

As Tolman-sama is talking, Nell makes his appearance.

『Y-your majesty, i-it suits you well.』

『You too? If you would only mumble them, then there’s no need for you to give compliments that you aren’t used to.』

『M-my apologies…』

『Your apology is accepted.
Truly… You’re to be a knight of my royal guard, so pull yourself together.
You have plenty of courage.
Understand, I’m about to show my majestic figure to the populace… Azalea, why are you laughing?』

『No, I just thought it a bit surprising that you choose to add Nell to your royal guards.』

『Appropriate rewards must be given to those who achieve great merit.
And as I have always said, I cherish the strong.
Nell fought the ouroboros with his sword, dealt it a decisive blow, and returned alive.
He has done more than enough to earn my approval.
Though I did doubt my ears in that underground arena when you advised me to hire him.』

『Didn’t your majesty used to say that? That you need the strong, and that my place is by your side… I simply saw Nell fighting back then and thought the same thing.』

『You remembered? That was when I took you from Gobia’s estate and invited you into the 『Starved Hunters』.
Why, recalling it now is most refreshing!』

Tolman-sama lets out a hearty laugh then glances at a clock in the wall.

『Hmm, it’s about time.
To the stage of my introduction, then.
Let’s go, Azalea, Nell.』

I feel a sudden dizziness.
―And then it ends.