NOVEL NEXT Chapter 311: Takatsuki Makoto Express
—The assault of the Great Demon Lord against Highland.
After getting slightly flustered by the words of Gera-san, I noticed.
“Ira-sama!” (Makoto)
I raised my voice.
What about your clairvoyance?!
Shouldn’t you have known?!
But there was no response from heaven.
(She is probably busy. I think she is giving instructions to the Heroes in the Sun Country through the Oracle.) (Noah)
Noah-sama answered instead.
(Yaho~, Mako-kun☆ Congratulations on your victory against the Ancient Dragon King…is what I want to say, but things have gotten troublesome, hasn’t it?)
The one who spoke cheerfully but had grief mixed in it was Eir.
“Just what in the world happened…?” (Makoto)
The next moment I was about to ask for the details…
“Takatsuki Makoto! You should rest your body first! We will regroup at the Sun Country later.” (Geralt)
Saying this, Gera-san’s magic transmission was cut.
He is most likely going to be heading off to the Sun Country as soon as possible.
“Makoto…is Furi and Princess Sofia going to be okay?” (Lucy)
“Fujiwara-kun and Nina-san are also in the Sun Country, right?” (Aya)
Lucy and Sa-san ask uneasily.
Of course, my response is obviously…
“Let’s go back to the Sun Country at once! Lucy, Sa-san, can you?” (Makoto)
If we are worried, just confirm with our own eyes.
“I-I am fine with that, but…” (Lucy)
“Is your body okay, Takatsuki-kun?” (Aya)
I thought they would answer immediately as usual, but the two don’t seem too into the idea.
(…Makoto, do you understand it? You were unconscious just a few minutes ago, you know.) (Noah)
(Mako-kun, cherish your body a bit more.) (Eir)
The two Goddesses scolded me.
Now that they mention it, I indeed fainted.
But…
“If the Great Demon Lord has shown up, we have to hurry.” (Makoto)
“Haah…Got it.” (Lucy)
“That’s just like you, Takatsuki-kun.” (Aya)
Lucy and Sa-san laugh bitterly.
Alright, then let’s depart, is what I was thinking when…
“Oi oi, Spirit User-kun, we meet again after 1,000 years and you are already leaving?”
Long slender white haired beauty.
The White Dragon, Mel-san.
With that, I finally got curious about where I am.
“White Dragon-san, it has been a while. By the way, this place is…” (Makoto)
“I made a room for human use in the dwelling of the Ancient Dragons. It is just a simple one made with magic though.” (Mel)
“Heeh…” (Makoto)
Despite that, there was furniture and paintings properly in this room.
It doesn’t look like a simple residence.
It is an interior that would go for a pretty high price in a high class hotel.
“Mel-san, an urgent matter has come up, so we are leaving for a bit. We will come back again, okay?” (Makoto)
“That’s weird. I heard you guys saying something along the lines of heading to the last battle against the Great Demon Lord though.” (Mel)
“Let’s have a long relaxed talk after defeating the Great Demon Lord.” (Makoto)
“So he says, Father.” (Mel)
“…I-I see.”
“““?!”””
The one who appeared from the back of the White Dragon-san was a man more than 2 meters tall.
I have seen him before.
It is the humanoid version of the Ancient Dragon King, Astaroth, who I met 1,000 years ago.
This should be the first time Lucy and Sa-san see him, but they must have seen through who he was, they immediately take a battle stance.
“Spirit User, are you going to face that personage?” (Astaroth)
The Ancient Dragon King furrowed his brows and looked down here.
“Are you saying you won’t allow that?” (Makoto)
The Ancient Dragon King shook his head to the sides when I asked this.
“I lost to you, so I have no right to stop you. But I can’t betray that personage and become your ally… I can give you my life though.” (Astaroth)
“Unfortunately, I am in a hurry here, so let’s have this talk next time.” (Makoto)
I would like you to spare me from talking about killing you in front of your daughter.
Let’s sweep it away and act as if nothing happened.
“Wait. At the very least, let me give you the proof of your victory against me.” (Astaroth)
Saying this, the Ancient Dragon King gave me something.
It looked like a drill shaped bone that shines in rainbow color.
“What’s this?” (Makoto)
“My fang. If you show this, the dragons in this mortal realm will obey you… If it is for an objective that’s not harmful for that personage, that is.” (Astaroth)
“…I feel like it won’t be of any use for me.” (Makoto)
I am literally about to fight the Great Demon Lord here.
Even if you give me an item that I can’t use in the Great Demon Lord battle…
(Makoto~, don’t say that. You have literally broken the fangs of the Ancient Dragon King after all.) (Noah)
(That’s right, Mako-kun. That fang is the Proof of the Ancient Dragon King, so not only dragons, almost all monsters would run away just by showing that or would obey you, you know?) (Eir)
I-I see.
With the follow-up of the two Goddesses, I learned that I have obtained an outrageous magic tool.
“Then, I gratefully accept it.” (Makoto)
“…Is that so.” (Astaroth)
Maybe because my reaction was so bland, the Ancient Dragon King seemed to be a bit dejected by it.
Sorry about that.
“Father, I will carry the Spirit User-kun to where the Great Demon Lord is.” (Mel)
“…Hm, but…” (Astaroth)
“I am not a subordinate of the Great Demon Lord. Also, I have already gone against him 1,000 years ago, so it is a bit too late for that.” (Mel)
“I just hope you don’t incur the wrath of that personage…” (Astaroth)
The expression of the Ancient Dragon King was that of a father worried about his daughter.
“Alright, let’s go.” (Makoto)
I look at the faces of Lucy, Sa-san, and the White Dragon-san.
“Over here.” (Mel)
We follow the White Dragon-san, and walk inside the dwelling of the Ancient Dragons.
The inside was like an intricate dungeon. I don’t think we would have been able to reach the exit without a guide.
What’s bothering me is why the Ancient Dragon King is following too.
Could it be that he is going to see us off?
When we arrived at the exit, it was a very spacious wasteland.
Looks like the view cleared up quite a bit because of my battle against the Ancient Dragon King.
It is a bit awkward.
Lucy, Sa-san, and I get on the back of the White Dragon-san that returned to her dragon form.
“Be careful, Helemerck-sama!”
“Have a safe trip!”
“The Dragon King-sama is departing…”
“The fearsome Spirit User is finally leaving, huh.”
When we got outside, the Ancient Dragons came out one after the other from their dwellings, and were saying something.
Now that I think about it, this is supposed to be the place that’s considered the most dangerous, an Ancient Dragon Nest.
We were surrounded on all fronts by Ancient Dragons, and their gazes were concentrated on us which was making my back a bit cold.
But I don’t feel hostility from any of the Ancient Dragons.
It really must be because I won against the Ancient Dragon King.
They are all looking here with their heads hanging low.
The White Dragon-san kicked the ground and rose to the sky.
Being seen off by several thousand of Ancient Dragons was quite the sight.
◇◇
“Sorry, Makoto. Because I wasn’t in my best condition…” (Lucy)
“It can’t be helped. You were watching the battle of father and the Spirit User-kun from up-close after all. A normal person wouldn’t have been able to endure even the shockwaves of the magic.” (Mel)
We are currently in the skies on the back of the White Dragon-san.
Normally, this would be the time when the Teleport of Lucy should come to play, but it wasn’t activating properly.
We are resting for a bit and waiting for her to recover.
“What about you, Sa-san? Are you okay?” (Makoto)
“Yeah, I am fine.” (Aya)
On the physical front, Sa-san didn’t fall short from anyone and was energetic today as well.
“Is the Sun Country…okay?” (Lucy)
“Sakurai-kun is there and the other Heroes are there too, so I am sure it is.” (Makoto)
I answer Lucy.
But there was still uneasiness.
“But why at this time?” (Aya)
“Isn’t that obvious?” (Mel)
The one who answered the mutter of Sa-san was the White Dragon-san.
“You know, Mel-san?” (Makoto)
It is a timing that not even the Destiny Goddess predicted though.
“Isn’t it obvious? He aimed for the moment when the Spirit User-kun wasn’t in the Sun Country, right?” (Mel)
The White Dragon-san said as if nothing.
“Holy Dragon-sama, the Great Demon Lord fears Makoto?” (Lucy)
“Wow, Takatsuki-kun.” (Aya)
“No no, that’s not it.” (Makoto)
I hurriedly deny it.
There’s no way that’s the case.
“I wonder about that. The one who defeated the Great Demon Lord and the Calamity Witch 1,000 years ago was the Light Hero Anna, but I don’t think we would have won without the Spirit User-kun.” (Mel)
“Knew it!” (Lucy)
“Takatsuki-kun always underplays himself whenever he talks after all!” (Aya)
“What, so you didn’t tell your comrades properly? Can’t be helped, I will tell you accurately what happened. It will take a bit of time before we arrive anyways.” (Mel)
So she says, but the story of 1,000 years ago of the White Dragon-san was quite exaggerated.
“…And so, something like that happened.” (Mel)
“No, that’s exaggerating.” (Makoto)
“Woah, Makoto!” (Lucy)
“So cool, Takatsuki-kun!” (Aya)
They didn’t listen to what I said.
In the end, it turned into ‘it is just as the White Dragon-san says’.
It is a time that lacks any tension.
But what’s awaiting after this is a confrontation against the Great Demon Lord of 1,000 years ago that ruled the world in the past.
Even when the three of them were having a cheerful conversation, their slight tension wasn’t gone.
From the dwelling of the Ancient Dragons that’s inside the Demonic Continent to the capital of the Sun Country in the center of the West Continent.
No matter how fast of a transportation means a flying dragon is, it is a distance that would take two whole days.
We managed to arrive there in a few hours with the fast flight of the White Dragon-san and the Teleport of Lucy who recovered slightly.
◇◇
Capital of Highland, Symphonia.
The giant city that spreads radially with the grandiose Highland Castle towering at the center.
Countless buildings crowd the place, and it is the biggest metropolis in the West Continent, but its state is different from usual.
We soon noticed the thing that was the most out-of-place here.
“W-What’s that?! “ (Lucy)
“Takatsuki-kun! An island has fallen?!” (Aya)
Lucy and Sa-san’s screams reached my ears.
An ominous gray land that’s made of a strange material that’s not earth or stone.
That has fallen onto the Symphonia capital as if barely scraping it.
Of course, I have seen it before.
“Lucy, Sa-san, that’s the Great Demon Lord Castle, Eden. It is originally a floating castle though…” (Makoto)
“This is strange. It was most likely a plan to drop it on the human capital and destroy it, but…there’s no point in that.” (Mel)
It is as the White Dragon-san says.
From what I can see, the Great Demon Lord’s Castle didn’t deal any big damage to Symphonia.
“What should we do, Spirit User-kun?” (Mel)
“Let’s head to the Highland Castle.” (Makoto)
Queen Noel and Sakurai-kun should be there.
Also, the aim of the Great Demon Lord is the life of the Light Hero, Sakurai-kun.
“Got it, Spirit User-kun. Let’s head to the castle.” (Mel)
We head to the Highland Castle while still riding on the back of the White Dragon-san.
But the moment she was going to cross the ramparts of Symphonia, she suddenly stopped.
“Wa?!”
“Kya!”
“Mel-san?” (Makoto)
I fall forward at this.
“A barrier to deter monsters… This is Quasi-God Rank. I can’t go any further than this as an Ancient Dragon… I see, this is what decreased the damage of the Great Demon Lord’s Castle, huh.” (Mel)
I heard the pained voice of the White Dragon-san.
When I look closely, there’s something like a faint film of light covering the whole capital.
“Hey, Makoto, isn’t this the barrier that was made by the Holy Maiden power of Queen Noel?” (Lucy)
“Now that you mention it, Gera-san did say something like that.” (Makoto)
That they are readying a barrier in preparation for the Great Demon Lord.
If it gets finished, it can apparently cover the whole West Continent, but they probably covered the whole capital as an emergency measure.
“If it is a monster repelling barrier, I probably won’t be able to enter… But I don’t really feel pain though…” (Aya)
Sa-san was making a questioning look.
“They have probably…placed conditions…for any exceptions… I…can’t handle it anymore…” (Mel)
The White Dragon-san slowly lands on the ground.
“Are you okay?” (Makoto)
“Yeah… There’s no problem as long as I leave this place. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be of any more help.” (Mel)
The White Dragon-san warped her face in pain.
“Thanks. I will go meet the Great Demon Lord, okay?” (Makoto)
“…You say it all nonchalantly as usual. Don’t go dying, Spirit User-kun.” (Mel)
The White Dragon-san smiled wryly, and she slowly went away from the capital.
I waved my hand and headed to the gates.
The gate was open.
There’s also no people at the main street that’s always crowded with people.
It is an abnormal sight.
But the Great Demon Lord has come.
There’s no way it would be a normal situation.
Lucy, Sa-san, and I carefully advance through the roads towards the Highland Castle.
There were a lot of street stalls and shops lined up along the main street.
However, there’s no one.
“So silent…” (Lucy)
“But I can feel the presence of something.” (Aya)
“Let’s move forward carefully.” (Makoto)
We advance with hurried steps while talking.
After a while of walking…
“Shaaaaaaaaaah!!”
A big snake the size of a dragon attacked us.
(Monsters?! Inside the barrier?!) (Makoto)
Before I could intercept it with magic, a red light pierced the sky.
“Fire Magic: [Vermillion Spark]!”
The spell that Lucy shot erased the head of the snake.
What remained was the twitching beheaded body of the snake.
“Uah…gross!” (Aya)
Sa-san frowned at the body of the snake.
No, more accurately speaking, at the eyes that are around its whole body moving restlessly.
“Taboo Monster…” (Makoto)
A monster that inhabits Eden.
Monsters that had been conferred power by the Great Demon Lord and were unable to endure it.
After that, we were attacked by a whole ton of Taboo Monsters, but they were all defeated by Lucy and Sa-san.
And as we defeated the monsters, the shadows of people began to come out.
Looks like they were hiding because Taboo Monsters were roaming the capital.
As we approached the castle, the figures of people began to show up.
There were templars fighting Taboo Monsters here and there.
Taboo Monsters are not weak by any means.
But maybe thanks to the barrier, they were being slain one after the other by the templars.
I was worried that maybe Symphonia had been taken over by the subordinates of the Great Demon Lord, but it looks like that wasn’t the case.
If I were to describe it, it looked more like hunting remnants.
(But where’s the Great Demon Lord?) (Makoto)
Eden has fallen onto the capital.
There’s no doubt the Great Demon Lord himself has come.
(Just where in the world…?) (Makoto)
As if answering that question, one of the templars ran here while shouting loudly.
They are shouting something.
As if trying to let the citizens know of this.
I perk up my ears at those words.
“The Great Demon Lord has been slain by the Light Hero-sama!!!”