63 Chapter 63: Dawn of Dragons (1/2)
I gaped at Alicia's struggling figure, and it took me a few moments to absorb what had just happened.
The ancient dragon glared at me, squeezing its claws around Alicia, who was going limp from the sheer force of its grip.
”W…what the hell?!” I murmured, still unable to wrap my head around what had just transpired.
”If you don't want this girl crushed, you better not move from that spot.”
The ancient dragon raised a pale, trembling Alicia for emphasis as it threatened me desperately. So it had descended to this level, huh?
”…”
But that wasn't what surprised me. No…it wasn't indeed. It was the fact that Alicia was the one who got taken as a hostage.
What the fuck.
What the flying fuck!?
Just how many times did that pathetic bitch need saving? This was the third time in a single day! Every single time…what the fuck, man!? Was she a trouble magnet or something?! Or was she just incredibly unlucky? Why was it that every time a crisis happened, she just so happened to be a victim!? First it was the wyvern breathing fire on her, and then she got thrown off the airship and needed to be saved, and now she was taken hostage by the ancient dragon?!
Seriously!? Every single time!? Was Alicia Clarence created solely to be the damsel in distress character or something?! It was getting really, really old.
”Goddammit, Alicia-san!” I shouted out of sheer frustration. ”You had one job! One job!”
All Alicia had to do was escort the princess to safety, and get away from the ancient dragon. Once they did that, I could look for a chance to escape on my own. But now that Alicia went and got herself caught by the ancient dragon, I had lost any chance to flee. I never thought that I could defeat the ancient dragon – it was simply too powerful and durable. The best I could hope for was to run away after I ensured that the others had gotten to safety.
But that whole plan had been ruined by a girl who needed saving for the third time in just a single day.
”Can't you be useful for once?! Do you expect to get saved every fucking time!?”
”Sorry…” Alicia sniffed, tears pouring down her pretty face. Oh, stuff it. Don't think that you can get away with being useless just because you're super-pretty.
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I didn't care.
Unfortunately, I couldn't. I refused to. That was a line I refused to cross. I wasn't a bully. The moment I pulled a callous stunt like that, I would become no different from the bloody bullies I swore revenge on. I was better than them. I could still hold the higher moral ground for now. But if I left Alicia to die, then I could no longer claim that higher moral ground.
Damn it.
”Shut the hell up!” the ancient dragon roared at me. I finally turned my attention to it.
”You're pathetic,” I sneered. ”An ancient dragon needing to rely on a hostage to get the advantage over a human opponent…I wonder how humiliating and shameful it will be for you if word gets out to the other dragons.”
”I told you to shut up!”
The ancient dragon's tail slammed into me, crushing me to the ground. If it wasn't for my Redwood jacket, I would have been pulverized instantly. As it was, I managed to use sheer strength to block the attack, holding the tail above me with my hand.
”Impossible!”
The ancient dragon snarled and withdrew its tail, stunned. I heaved and stumbled. Even with the defensive layers, the burden placed on my body from that single attack had nearly shattered every bone. The protective screens had cracked, even as they were now regenerating, but the impact of the blow had penetrated the supposedly impenetrable defenses and sent immense tremors throughout my fragile body. Even if I possessed an invincible shell, the body inside was not as durable as the armor protecting it. My regeneration was kicking in, but I knew I wouldn't be able to last a couple more attacks of that magnitude. If I wasn't an undead, I might have died from internal injuries alone.
Ancient dragons were on a completely different level.
”Stop resisting, or this girl will be dead.”
”Well…”
”Don't say a single word,” the dragon growled. I cocked my head at it, trying to put up a brave front. The dragon noted my silence and meek compliance.
”Seems like you can't handle the impact.”
”Huff…huff…”
I breathed heavily, not rising to the bait. Dusting my Redwood jacket off, I glared at it.
”What are you talking about? I'm…I'm just a normal human, you know…”
”Don't lie!” the dragon thundered, forgetting its earlier order for me to not say a word. ”A mere human isn't capable of fighting like this!”
”Tanaka!”
Alicia shouted, despite being unable to free herself from the ancient dragon's crushing grasp. Clenching her fists in frustration, tears streaked down her face.
”Don't worry about me! J…j…just do it!”
”Do what?”
”Attack the ancient dragon! Kill me along with the ancient dragon if you have to! Don't hold yourself back on my account!”
I was very, very tempted to do that. But before I could reply affirmatively, the ancient dragon scoffed and chortled.
”Don't even bother to pull a bluff. I know you're not the type of person who would sacrifice other humans for victory. You're a hero, aren't you? A real one, unlike those fakes claiming to protect the human kingdoms.”
”…”
There was so many things wrong with that statement that I didn't even know where to begin to correct the overgrown lizard.
Instead, I just sighed and shook my head. If the ancient dragon thought I was a hero, I might as well play the part. Besides, it was right. I refused to be as dishonorable as the ancient dragon, or as self-serving, arrogant and selfish as Kobayashi and my other former classmates. Remembering how Kobayashi sacrificed Samejima just to achieve victory over the Demon Lord, I hardened my resolve.
I refused to sink to Kobayashi's level. I wasn't Kobayashi. I was way better than he ever would be. If that made me more of a hero than him, then so be it.
Honestly, I wasn't interested in being a hero or whatever. I was only invested in holding the higher moral ground over Kobayashi Kenji, so as to justify my revenge. It might seem meaningless and hypocritical to other people, but quite frankly, screw other people. I had my own principles and I refused to back down no matter how hypocritical people thought I was.
”Tanaka! Please!”
Alicia was still pleading with me, but I shook my head and refused steadfastly.
”No.”
”B…but…!”
”Look, I don't care about your nobles' honor or valor or self-sacrifice or whatever, but I have my own principles. No matter who or what turns against you or betrays you, I will never turn my back on you. That applies to any of my comrades. As long as you don't betray me, I will never betray you.”
”…”
Alicia was weeping, at a total loss for words.
It took every ounce of willpower that I had to stop myself from laughing. I couldn't believe Alicia was buying my utter bullshit. Come on, even she couldn't possibly be that naïve and gullible, could she? Or…
Never mind. I was increasingly losing my faith in her intelligence. Not that I ever thought she possessed any intelligence to begin with anyway.
”Hmph.” The ancient dragon snorted. ”Brave words…I expected as much from you, real hero. But your courage and valor end here. I cannot allow you to live. So…please die.”
With a thunderous roar, the ancient dragon crushed me with its immense paw.
”!?”
The ancient dragon pulled its tremendous paw back when it felt that something was odd. It glanced down and saw a shimmering barrier surround me.
”Eh?”
The dragon was not the only one confused. Even I was startled by the sudden appearance of a barrier. This wasn't my Dark Barrier, but a shimmering, translucent blue cuboid barrier conjured by someone else.
And there was only one other person I knew who possessed a special ability called Barrier.
Crack…
Even as the ancient dragon lifted its tail, the cracked barrier shattered into a million pieces, unable to withstand that single blow. It wasn't even as strong as the protective layers generated by my Redwood Robe.
However, it had done its job.
”What the hell is this?!” the ancient dragon roared. Alicia cried out as it tightened its grip, almost crushing her to death. Gritting my teeth, I prepared to dash forward to pry her out of the claws in one piece, but before I could even take a step forward…
”!”
WHOOSH!
A barrage of sacred weapons slammed against the ancient dragon, raining down on its position from above. A particularly large broadsword cleaved through the armored scales in its arm, causing the dragon to howl in pain and release Alicia. While she was trying to scramble away, the dragon reached for her again, only for the same blue shimmering barrier from before to materialize around her.
”What…?”
The dragon's claws bounced off the barrier, but it packed enough force to send both the barrier and the girl within hurtling into the ground. Alicia cried out as she vanished in an explosion of soil and dirt, which obscured her from sight.
”Geez…”