Chapter 304 - Chapter 18: Black Dragon
A massive shadow falls across the river's surface. Just as it seems to have moved toward the forest, it returns once more.
The sound of heavy flapping—flap, flap—echoes.
Whether it flew over the forest or not, the tree branches bend and young leaves dance in the air. The branches of the trees dip and spring back in succession.
The wind generated by the wingbeats is far too strong. This didn't happen with the Lindwurm. It must be flying with considerably large wings.
"GGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
A massive roar echoes through the moonlit forest.
I don't know what kind of dragon a Black Dragon is, but I'm certain the crest of the Sertoria Royal Family is a black dragon. They chose it for the royal crest over a Fire Dragon or a Water Dragon. It must be incredibly strong. I extinguished my Fireflies and fled in a hurry.
"It probably mistook the light of the Fireflies for the glitter of treasure. Dragons love shiny things."
I slipped under a tree by the riverside, cast Camouflage and Mute, and then applied Magic Reflection. Even the Elf Prince seemed terrified, keeping his head low so as not to peek too far over the edge of the bowl. I've heard that an Elf's magical control is superior to that of a human ultra-high-level mage. He must be extremely wary.
Peeking out stealthily, I see a huge creature with two horns circling while peering down at the river surface where I had let the Fireflies fly. Splashes of water erupt one after another, forming circles.
Its body, illuminated by the moonlight, is easily twice the size of a Water Dragon or a Fire Dragon. Moreover, it has grown quite large wings. It's incomparable to a Lindwurm.
"What on earth is that? Is a Black Dragon different from a Fire Dragon or a Water Dragon?"
I tried asking the Elf Prince.
"The Black Dragon is the dragon among dragons. The strongest of dragons."
"There was such a thing?"
So the strongest dragon wasn't the Golden Dragon.
I feel like I remember someone saying something like that.
"A Golden Dragon? Hmph! Such a thing is nothing more than a statue made by humans with bad taste melting down gold. As if one could exist in reality."
I got scolded.
Though, if one did exist, there would be no end to those wanting to join a subjugation quest.
"Black Dragons do not exist normally. They are not beings born naturally. Whether it be a Fire Dragon or an Earth Dragon, they are the transformed state of a certain type of dragon that has acquired powerful magical energy. You all defeated a Lindwurm, didn't you? That is a Wyvern... a monster like a lower-tier version of a dragon with the wind attribute, but in ancient times, there were Wyverns in the mountains of this forest. As a result of a Wyvern gaining powerful magical energy, it became that Black Dragon."
Wait, could that be because the Elves dug holes to mine Silver and let magical energy leak out...
"Th-That might be so. However, it shouldn't have shown itself for these past five thousand years. I thought for sure it was gone. In fact, other dragons disappeared around the time of the magical energy leakage."
Honestly, they really are a troublesome bunch.
When I glared at him from the corner of my eye, he was feigning ignorance while looking at a frog that had fled from the river.
"If a monster like that shows up, wouldn't all the other monsters and everything else have disappeared from this area?"
"That's true, but it'll be a disaster if the main force is attacked."
The main force has two Dragon Killers. Surely they can manage somehow.
"More importantly, if it goes to the plains, let alone the villages, the town of Higashinohara itself will be in danger."
Harris-sama says this while looking at me.
Which means.
"Jeanne. We'll lure the dragon north with Light."
The bowl-user of the Quartet said it.
I knew it...
Because Roberts-sama has been spreading it around, I've been certified as a decoy-attribute mage within the Kingdom's army.
The Elf Prince objected, but conversely, if there are two people who can use Wind Barrier, ultra-high speed becomes possible. And he's an Elf. If he focuses on acceleration, he'll surely be faster than Wilson-san. I don't know where the Black Dragon came from, but if it chases us around and fails to catch us, it'll eventually get tired and give up.
Going north at ultra-high speed means eventually reaching the sea. Once we reach the sea, if we extinguish the Fireflies or throw them into the ocean, it should give up.
However. Simply fleeing to the sea won't fulfill the mission of driving the magical beasts away from the vicinity of the river.
"If we're doing it anyway, why don't we fly around over the river and the edge of the forest on the west side to keep the monsters away from the river for a while?"
Let's just go all out. Let's try everything we can do.
Everyone was exasperated, but it was decided that we would do it.
"But, I wonder if the dragon will catch up to us?"
My single comment seemed to have set the Elf Prince on fire.
"The opponent is what it is. I can't hold back. Don't fall off."
It becomes a sphere—or rather, a bowl—carrying five humans and one Elf. This is because we might be thrown out during a sudden dive otherwise.
As expected of an Elf. He skillfully adjusted the size and completely enveloped one bowl.
I have to watch the rear. Two of the Quartet took positions as if clinging to the bowl, and I pressed myself against their backs. That way, I can see behind me over their shoulders. It's suffocating and a bit embarrassing, but this is no time for such complaints.
I ended up back-to-back with Bonnie. In front of her, the two operating the bowl were crouching forward, and she was clinging to their backs. We tied everyone's bodies together with the rope Bonnie brought, becoming a single mass. If we die, we die together, but since everyone except me is light on their feet, we'll manage somehow if we fall into the river.
Preparations are complete.
"Light!"
While keeping the Firefly attached to the bowl lit, I illuminate the Black Dragon with my left hand. It's black, just like its name. It's pitch black in a different way from the Revenant I fought before. It has a luster.
The rugged face noticed the light and looked this way!
I extinguish the Light in my left hand and light up the Firefly attached to the bowl. Since I attached it to the side opposite our direction of travel, it shouldn't obstruct the Elf's vision.
The dragon opened its mouth. Did it laugh?
"Run!"
Guuuuuuuuuuuu!
Everyone riding except the Elf is pressed against the bowl.
This is on a different level from the ultra-high speed until now. It was good that we were on a small one and huddled together; if it had been medium-sized, we might have been tossed from one end to the other and broken our necks.
To avoid being caught, we change direction violently to the right and left.
It's fine because I'm at the back of the bowl, but every time we change direction, everyone's bodies hit the bowl as a single mass. I clung to the backs of the Quartet so as not to lose my posture, and focused solely on the mental image of keeping the Firefly lit.
Perhaps because we are flying just above the water's surface. Pillars of water seem to be erupting continuously behind our flight, as if chasing the bowl.
The Black Dragon is flying over those water pillars.
Despite its huge frame, it seems capable of sharp turns, and it chases us while crying out, "Gyaon, gyaon."
Since its goal is likely the glowing orb, it probably won't breathe fire, but if we're caught, we'll undoubtedly be killed.
After running around for about an hour, occasionally heading to the edge of the forest and going north and south, the Elf Prince gave in.
"I can't maintain this speed much longer. Can you throw the Firefly away while keeping it lit!"
"I can, but if it gets too far away, it will vanish!"
"How far!"
"Um, about two hundred paces, I think."
"Alright, throw it into the river! I can't do any more than this!"
It seems we'll sink it in the river and make it look like the dragon lost sight of it.
The monsters around the river should have fled. We must have fulfilled our role.
We can't keep running forever. The Elf Prince is also drenched in sweat.
With a heave, I threw the Firefly into the river and made it glow as brightly as possible. It's not that deep, but there's a current. It just flowed away. The Black Dragon stopped abruptly where I dropped it and is watching the light without entering the river. Does it dislike water?
The bowl temporarily takes refuge in the shadow of the trees on the bank. We decided to observe the situation from there.
The Firefly gradually weakened its light, making it look as if it had sunk into the river.
If it gives up and goes back to its lair like this, it would be perfect.
Kwah!
The dragon opened its mouth wide toward the water's surface. Inside its mouth, something like a pale blue orb is glowing.
"Not good! It's going to release a shockwave! Run!"
No sooner had he said it than the bowl flew out from the shadow of the trees, turned at a right angle, and began a rapid ascent.
I hurriedly grabbed onto the backs of the Quartet, but I completely lost my posture and was pressed against the bottom of the bowl. My face remained stuck to the bowl, unable to move. The bowl is transparent, so I can see the dragon's state, but my nose is squashed and it hurts quite a bit.
If it gets any lower, what are you going to do!
Looking through the bowl, the glowing orb born in the dragon's mouth grew until it filled the dragon's wide-open maw.
DOOOOOOOOOOON!
A thunderous roar echoed through the night forest.
It wasn't thunder. It was different from a gunpowder explosion. It was a low, dull sound, like something heavy had been struck.
At the same time, a large hole opened in the river.
No, it looked like a hole had opened. The river water was blown away by the orb of light. A ring of water formed, shaped exactly like a crown.
The Black Dragon is staring intently at the riverbed where the water has vanished, but I have already deactivated the magic. Even if the distance were close enough, the Firefly would not glow.
By the time the water returned and the river surface became calm, the dragon seemed to have given up; it gave a single cry toward the moon and flew off toward the mountains.
Its cry wasn't cute like the Water Dragon's. Perhaps its throat had also become strange from being exposed to dense magical energy.
"So that's a dragon. First time I've seen one."
"It was amazing. When I heard that cry, I felt like I was going to faint."
"What, is it your first time seeing one? You should see at least a dragon... oh, come to think of it, Jeanne was a Dragon Killer. Roberts said so."
This is it. It gets spread everywhere.
"Um, I just happened to be there."
"You don't need to be modest. I heard you threw something called gunpowder into the dragon's mouth to stop its movement."
"That's... true, but there was a process leading up to that."
"That's a feat we who use magic cannot perform. It symbolizes the prosperity of the human race."
Anyone can handle gunpowder, though. While few people might know how to make it, anyone can light a fuse and throw it.
"That's not it. We who are skilled in magic have no need for things like gunpowder. Therefore, we don't even think of it. However, you humans are different. You invented flint, you invented charcoal, and you invented gunpowder. It's what's called science."
Certainly, such technologies were invented as substitutes for magic. Especially on the continent, magic cannot be used. It would be tough without alternative technologies.
"But, they're just substitutes after all, so they can't beat the original, right?"
"Not in individual technology. However, by devising group tactics as a substitute, you have come to overwhelm the Demon Lord's army."
Being suddenly told about tactics doesn't really click.
"For diseases, you've devised herbal prescriptions, and for injuries, you've devised prosthetic arms and legs."
"But, for injuries, we rely on Holy in most cases, and for diseases, there isn't even magic to treat... ah!"
There was Anti-Sepsis...
"Did you realize? If alternative technologies for the ancient magic Jeanne uses are developed, they will demonstrate effects beyond herbs."
Most of the scientific technologies the Elf Prince spoke of come from the continent. And magic cannot be used on the continent.
Could it be that magic is...
"Um, would it be possible to develop alternative technologies for Forbidden Magic as well?"
If the alternative technology isn't magic, the Church probably won't ban it.
However, the Elf Prince tilted his head.
"I wonder. With your human science, you cannot perform the miracles performed by the Creator. After all, humans are merely things made by the Creator and cannot surpass Him."
Making a dead person exist in this world exactly as they were when they were alive can only be called a miracle. For dead people... there is Resurrection as magic to start a stopped heart, but even that is impossible once time has passed.
"However, when they first produced fire with their own technology, humans called it a miracle. I do not know to what extent ancient magic or what humans call Forbidden Magic can be substituted with technology. However, while I won't say everything that can be done with magic, if research is accumulated over generations, perhaps various things will become possible."
Research over generations, huh...
No matter how I think about it, learning Forbidden Magic... no, it would be faster if the people who currently know it became able to use it...
"Jeanne. Human magic is used in ways more suited for war. However, your magic is something that restores forests and heals people. First, you should think of ways to utilize that power."
"Th-Thank you very much."
Things I can do.
If I become an ultra-high-level mage, and if I collect all the Black Stones, will I be able to do something?