“W-What is this!?”
“What's happening!?”
“I'm scared, Mommmmyyyyy!!”
No one in the venue could remain calm amidst the sudden turn of events. Confusion spread like wildfire.
‘I have come to fulfill my promise.’
A voice, utterly out of place, resounded as if indifferent to the turmoil around it.
In an instant, an unbearable discomfort surged through my entire body. The bright mood I had felt just moments ago was instantly replaced by the worst sensation imaginable. And just as suddenly, my vision, which had been completely swallowed by darkness, cleared once more. Oddly enough, my eyes had no trouble adjusting to the scene before me.
“──!!”
I gasped at the figure that had suddenly appeared before me.
Standing in the center of the vast battlefield—large enough to feel excessive for a duel—was the remnant of a jet-black dragon, accompanied by four knights clad in black-grey armor.
“Y-You…!!”
The unexpected sight and the undeniable presence of that being before me sent a jolt through my brain. At the same time, my entire body was seized by a single impulse. Putting that impulse into words was simple.
‘It has been a while, Regressor.’
“──I'll kill you!!”
It was a straightforward response. Almost a reflex. As soon as the battle had ended, I instantly unsheathed the sword I had already put away.
The blade, forged of black steel for the sole purpose of slaying dragons, shimmered ominously, asserting its presence. Never had I expected the day of its purpose to come so soon. Yet, I was prepared. Though unforeseen and utterly unexpected, I had been waiting for this moment all along. My body moved without hesitation.
Questions like "Why?" didn't matter. If I had the time to dwell on that, there were far more urgent matters at hand. My thoughts focused entirely on eliminating the dragon’s remnant, instinctively drawing magic and forming words.
“Dragon, you──”
But then—too late—I felt an unfamiliar sensation creep into my mind. It felt as if I had forgotten something crucial.
“Big… Brother──!!”
“────”
My body froze.
Before I knew it, the presence of one of the Seven Dragons, overseeing the world from above, had thrown the arena into even deeper chaos. Even if it was just a remnant, the sheer pressure of the dragon's presence and its magical force was overwhelming, driving the crowd into hysterical panic as they scrambled to flee.
“W-Why is there a dragon here!?”
“R-Run! If we don't get out of here now, we'll be killed!!”
“Out of the way! Filthy commoners like you should step aside! The life of a noble such as myself takes priority!!”
Shouts of fear, anger, and despair blended into a cacophony of chaos. From an outsider's perspective, it was impossible to distinguish who was who. But amidst the noise, I heard her voice clearly.
“Alice!!”
That snapped me back to my senses. The blood that had rushed to my head cooled in an instant, sending a chill down my spine.
──What the hell was I thinking!? A mere shadow, nothing but a hollow remnant, was not worth my attention. I had something far more important to protect!!
I immediately shifted my gaze to where she had been. But the sea of people had swallowed her up, and her figure was already indistinct. Though I could faintly sense my surroundings through magic, it was barely any consolation. In this chaos, a young girl like Alice could be easily trampled and lost in the crowd.
“First──”
The anxiety festering inside me only grew. My mind filled with terrible possibilities, throwing my focus into disarray.
“Clay! I'll take responsibility for getting your sister out safely! Focus on yourself right now!!”
Even amidst the turmoil, His Highness' voice rang clear. It seemed he had acted quickly and managed to secure Alice. I wanted to rush to her side immediately, but realistically, that wasn't an option. For now, I had to rely on him.
“T-Thank you, Your Highness!!”
Having made my decision, I turned my attention back to the dragon’s remnant.
Compared to when I had encountered it six years ago, the shadow standing before me now carried a denser concentration of magical energy and intent. It was no longer just a discarded fragment or a hastily conjured imitation—I couldn't afford to underestimate it. And on top of that, there were also four black-grey knights, their auras carrying a strange familiarity.
“It doesn't matter…!!”
Thanks to my earlier battle with Freesia, my body was already filled with circulating blood and magic. I was ready to fight at any moment.
‘A descendant of the Time Dragon Clan interfering again… Didn't you hear me? I have come to fulfill my promise. There’s no way I would let my precious princess escape so easily.’
Yet, the dragon’s attention was not on me—it was on Alice, who was now nowhere to be seen.
──This is bad!!
I realized the danger before I could even think. My instincts screamed, and I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“Run with everything you have──!!”
‘As promised, I shall now claim the "Blood" Princess.’
However, the voice was interrupted midway, and from the floor, which had been swallowed by darkness before anyone realized it, a shadowy arm extended, aiming for a single point.
“What the hell— Guh!?”
“Kyaa!!”
A dull sound of something being blown away immediately echoed through the hall, followed by a young girl’s scream, which was soon drowned out by other noises.
‘It has been a long time, "Blood" Princess... These six years were worth the wait!’
“N-No…!!”
In an instant, Alice was captured by the shadows and drawn into the dragon's grasp, taken to the battlefield—right beside the dragon’s remnant. The sight was a complete reenactment of six years ago, with one crucial difference—
“Don’t you dare touch my precious little sister with those disgusting shadows!!”
There was no longer a hero by our side to save us. The only one who could rescue Alice now was me.
Driven purely by anger, I was about to leap forward to save my dear sister. However, the knights who had been groveling before this remnant stood in my way.
“Our master has not finished speaking. Stay put.”
“Tch…”
Their faces were hidden beneath their helmets, but a low, rasping voice growled at me. Unable to suppress my seething rage, I glared sharply at the dragon before me. It, in turn, let out a delighted laugh.
‘Now, now, don’t be so angry… Though, I suppose that’s impossible. I actually have quite the high opinion of you. Didn’t I tell you before? I would give you a choice.’
“Don’t give me that nonsense—!!”
‘Oh? Are you certain about that?’
As if trying to pacify me, who was about to lunge forward at any moment, the remnant continued speaking.
‘To be honest, there was no need for me to go through all this trouble.’
“...What?”
‘From my perspective, fragile beings like you could be wiped out in an instant, and I could simply take what I want. But do you know why I haven’t done so this time?’
The shadow, shaped like a dragon, twisted its body dramatically, speaking with excitement.
‘Because I was entertained. A mere brat who was nothing more than an insolent insect six years ago has, in just a few years, gained extraordinary power. Enough, even, to defeat the knights whom I acknowledge.’
I understood what this bastard was referring to. The black-grey knight I had defeated in the labyrinth flashed through my mind.
‘And so, I wanted to test it. Simply slaughtering, rampaging, and taking what I desire as I please would be dull, would lack entertainment—there would be no thrill, no excitement! A meaningless existence! That is why I am being merciful! I shall grant the new "Blood" Guardian a trial!!’
And so, even now, this transcendental being treated everything as nothing more than a game, seeing us as mere toys for its amusement.
—It was infuriating…!!
However, the world is structured in such a way that the weak cannot defy the decisions of the strong. If I were to reject or ignore its words now, countless innocent people would be dragged into this mess—those in this arena, and even the people outside enjoying the festival. The friends I had made in this second life, the people I hold dear, would all be sacrificed. That was something I could never allow.
“What… do you want me to do?”
Truthfully, I wanted nothing more than to ignore this trash's nonsense and cut it down on the spot. But I swallowed my rage and glared at the damn lizard. Amused, it sneered.
‘Nothing has changed in the end. It’s simple—you kill me, and I will give up everything. But just a straightforward fight would be boring, wouldn’t it? So, I propose a game.’
“A… game?”
Ignoring my confusion, the shadow dragon remnant looked up to the heavens and declared in a loud voice.
‘I, one of the Seven Dragons, Scarshade, the Shadowed Dragon, hereby challenge Clay Bradley, Guardian of the "Blood" Princess and descendant of the Time Dragon Clan, to a Dragon Slayer War!!’
“Dragon Slayer’s… what?”
It was the first time I had ever heard those words, and my mind couldn’t keep up. But, as expected, that meant nothing to this damn lizard.
‘The battle begins seven days from today. It continues until one side is completely annihilated. Everything else is up to you! Struggle as pathetically as you wish—otherwise, there would be no point to this. Now, try and take back your "Blood" Princess from me!!’
With that, the shadow dragon remnant stirred up a whirlwind and sank into the darkness that had spread across the floor, vanishing. The black-grey knights surrounding me disappeared in pursuit—taking Alice with them.
“Big… Brother!!”
As she was swallowed into the abyss, she desperately reached out her hand toward me.
“Alice!!”
Instinctively, I kicked off the ground and stretched out my hand—but I couldn’t reach her. My fingers grasped at nothing but air, and just like that, as if the entire commotion had been a mere illusion, the arena fell completely silent. No one could yet comprehend what had happened.
It felt as if we had just been forced into the worst nightmare imaginable—
“Damn it!!”
—and I had no idea where to vent this boiling rage inside me.
That day, my precious little sister—Alice Bradley—was taken away by one of the Seven Dragons who look down upon the world.
And so, a war that would engulf the entire world had begun.
~ Chrono King Festival Arc - End ~
Comments
You must log in to post a comment.