Nido Tensei Shita Shounen wa S-rank Boukensha Toshite Heion ni Sugosu ~ Zense ga Kenja de Eiyūdatta

Episode 93: Golden Dragon vs. Useless Pet

I woke up suddenly in intense pain.

What happened? Why did I lose consciousness? The consciousness that just woke up was hazy, as if covered in fog.

However, even in my state, I understood that the presence in front of me was an enemy. It had a small, white figure, but my instincts clearly told me that it was an enemy.

This is a presence that must be destroyed. The dragon’s blood flowing through me screams so strongly.

I don’t care about things I can’t remember. Right now, I just need to destroy the enemy in front of me.

I swung down my golden claws, which can cut through anything, at the white enemy. But the enemy, despite its weak appearance, evaded my claws with unexpected speed and charged at me with the same momentum.

Foolish, to think that such a small body could harm me… Huh? What is this? The enemy’s charge has delivered a stronger impact to the inside of my tough scales than I expected.

“Gyuggyuggyuu!”

The enemy sneers defiantly. Damn, was I deceived by its appearance? It seems that this enemy has a power that cannot be imagined from its appearance. I was reckless to underestimate the warning of my bloodline.

But I won’t be careless twice!

I soar into the sky to fight like a dragon. But for some reason, one of my wings is injured. Look, there are marks where something tore off a part of my wing! It must be the work of that enemy! Unforgivable!!

I gather more anger and exhale a weak breath towards the ground. As a king, unlike lesser dragons, I can release breath without bothering to gather power. If it’s a deadly blow, some accumulation is necessary, but this level of breath can be released as easily as breathing.

However, even with that level of power, the breath I, the golden one, releases is much stronger than what lesser dragons can release. From a height that the wingless opponent cannot reach, I continue to release breath in an area that cannot be avoided.

I wield overwhelming violence that a small being cannot reach. This is the way of fighting allowed only for a king. Hehe, if you resent it, curse your misfortune of being born without wings.

And as a reward for injuring me, I will bestow upon you the honor of becoming my sacrifice. Well, that’s if there are even any pieces of flesh left on the ground that were not swept away by my breath. Hahaha!

“Kyuuuu!”

But what is this? It’s coming towards me. It pierced through the barrage of breath and came at me, wounded body and all, while running through the sky without wings.

“Gyuuuun!”

The enemy attacks my injured wing, and once again, intense pain shoots through me. Surprised and in pain from being injured twice, I clumsily fall to the ground.

“Gyufufu”

And the enemy mocks me like that. It mocked me, from above.

I won’t forgive this anymore! Know that not a single piece of your flesh will remain!

The game is over. From here on out is the true battle of the dragon! I circulate magic throughout my entire body and focus only on tearing apart the enemy in front of me.

Until now, I have restrained my power to avoid destroying this territory, but now, such things don’t matter. I will make you regret hurting the pride of a dragon!

My entire body fills with power, allowing me to move at a speed that is incomparable to my usual self. And immediately, I maneuver behind the enemy and slash its defenseless back with both claws. The enemy’s white fur is stained with fresh blood, but I won’t let my guard down anymore.

As expected, I block the enemy’s counterattack without caring about my injuries with my front paw. It’s an impact as if I’m holding a huge boulder. But if I know it’s coming, it’s not an attack I can’t endure.

I slam the enemy I caught onto the ground. And then, I put my weight on it and crush it against the ground.

The soles of my front paw feel intense pain. Is it the claws or the fangs? It seems like it’s retaliating. But I won’t let it escape. I’ll just keep crushing and grinding it.

However, suddenly the resistance disappears and the pain fades. Immediately after, I sense a faint sound from behind and quickly jump to the side. The white shadow passes through the spot where I was like lightning.

Hmph, did it go around behind me by burrowing into the ground? But it underestimated my senses.

“Gyuuu!”

The enemy’s eyes are filled with anger, silently telling me that it will kill me. Hmph, I feel the same way.

“Gyuuu!”

The next attack was a direct confrontation. Our fists collide, repel each other, clash, and fall. There’s no need to evade, if there’s time to dodge, then add a strike.

We just kept punching each other. Heh, hehe…

A smile naturally escapes.

“Gyuu, gyugyu…”

Looking at the enemy, I see that it is also smiling.

…I understand that feeling. It must feel good to be able to fight with all your might, right? Being destined to be the strongest existence, it must have been boring that everything around you couldn’t keep up with you.

They would call it the arrogance of the strong. But maybe we were seeking each other. The existence of a worthy opponent who can fight with all their might.

…Interesting! I, who have lived for hundreds of years, am so excited! Then let’s enjoy this battle to our heart’s content!

And after an exchange of fierce attacks that seemed to continue for eternity, we both step back as a momentary pause in the attacks occurs. Heh, it seems we got a little carried away. While we were exchanging attacks, I didn’t notice, but our bodies were more injured than expected. Hmm, it seems impossible to continue the fight any longer.

In that case, let’s end it with the strongest blow. Looking at the enemy, it seems to have the same idea. Vast magical power is being gathered in its small body. Hehehe, we’re in agreement until the end. I, too, will gather magical power for the sole purpose of delivering a single blow.

The dragon’s strongest attack, of course, is none other than the breath. Not a random barrage of breath like before, but a single blow with all my body and soul.

Our magical power reaches its peak, and all that’s left is to release it. Ah, no matter how it turns out, this will be the end. With such an increase in magical power, neither of us will come out unscathed. If my attack is overwhelmed by the enemy’s attack, at that moment, the magical power I released will be swallowed by the enemy’s magical power, and I will destroy myself with my own power.

But… that’s fine. It’s a way to show respect to the wonderful enemy who provided the greatest battle!

Here we go!

“Gyuruooooonnnn!”

Our attacks are released simultaneously. I am confident in the power of my breath, which has been honed to an unbelievable level. And our attacks collide.

I feel an immense resistance at that moment. Oh, what pressure! The power is no less than my breath! But I won’t lose either!

Nuoohhh!

“Gyuoohhhh!”

We continue to unleash attacks, squeezing out the remaining magical power. This is it, the final blow!!

……

And I have exhausted all my strength. I have given it my all. I can’t move even a wingtip.

Now, I can only leave it to the result. I gaze at the final blows we unleashed.

And then, I notice something strange. Our breath and the enemy’s attack have stopped right in the middle. And the attacks have become two spheres of magical power, frozen in place.

What? What is happening? My breath doesn’t cause such a phenomenon, does it? Is this the enemy’s attack? If so, did my attack completely merge with the enemy’s?

I look at the enemy, who was probably confident of victory.

“…Gyuuun?”

Ah, it seems the enemy is also confused. What is this? It seems to be saying, “What is this?” while tilting its head. Then what is this…?

“Oh my, that was close.”

At that moment, a voice comes from between the two spheres of magical power. It’s a voice that sends a chill down my spine for some reason.

“Gyuu!? Gyukyuuu!?”

Hearing that voice, the enemy suddenly lets out a scream mixed with surprise, panic, and fear. What? Does it know something?

“If an attack like that were to collide, this area would be completely destroyed, and one of us would be seriously injured. Ei!”

With a nonchalant voice, the human sends our spheres of magical power flying high into the sky. Huh? They were sent flying? How did that happen?

“Double Impulse Break!”

Then, a small arrow of light follows, piercing through the spheres of magical power that flew ahead, and as soon as I thought it had pierced them, the spheres of magical power silently dissipate.

……

Huh!? Dissipated!? What!? What just happened!? Our magical power, filled with all our might, just disappeared!?

I look back at the enemy, demanding an explanation if it knows something, and the enemy is trembling in fear, completely different from its proud appearance just moments ago.

“Kyuu, Kyuuu~”

Letting out a faint cry, the enemy stares at the space where our attacks suddenly stopped. I follow its gaze and there, I see the figure of a human.

“Phew, you both are in bad shape. I thought you would make good playmates for Mofumofu, but dragon materials are valuable, so you shouldn’t get too injured. Area High Heal!!”

The human casts a spell, and a vast healing magic dances around. And not only the enemy, but also the wounds I received are healed.

“Alright, you’re all better now.”

The human smiles nonchalantly, but in the first place, it’s absurd for a human, who is the natural enemy of dragons, to heal me. It’s like asking the enemy who tried to kill me to attack me again. It’s impossible for us dragons to trust a tiny human like that.

And yet, for some reason, I couldn’t stop trembling when I looked at that human. That creature, which looks like just a human child, appeared to be an incredibly terrifying presence.,Yes, it’s the same as those weak humans I encountered earlier, but completely different… Hm? A human? …!? There, I remembered, I remembered. That voice I heard when I tried to drive away the insolent human who trespassed into my territory.

“Or rather, you’re a bit dazzling, aren’t you”

Immediately after hearing that voice, I flew through the air in tremendous pain and lost consciousness. In other words, this human…

“Kyuuun!!”

When I returned my gaze to the high-pitched cry I had never heard before, the enemy I had been fighting to the death until just now was now showing its belly and groveling while making a submissive voice. It even wet itself.

What is that pitiful sight!? Are you still the formidable opponent I fought with just a moment ago!?

I didn’t think so. Yeah, there are opponents in this world that you can never defeat, right? Do you want to have a fight where you give it your all and risk your life? Is that your dying wish?

No, no. That’s what someone who has never seen a true strong person would say.

“Gyuuun!”

That’s why I, too, imitated the enemy… No, not enemy, but friend, and showed my belly while rolling over. I’m not an enemy.