Author's Note: Really sorry about an outcome like this! For everyone whose expectations were raised, I'm really sorry.
Basement… Is she talking about that place with the dragon corpse I found my way to through all the collapsed dirt and sand?
Other than that there was the huge pile of gold, mythical class equipment, and weapons that didn't seem like they could even be used all lying around.
Hearing "basement" put me in a state of confusion, and probably because I was thinking about all that, I reacted too slowly.
The silver girl closed the distance between us in the time of a single breath.
The small fist comes down right toward me.
For some reason I just knew the fist had unbelievable power behind it.
Berating myself in my mind, I start moving my left arm to shield from the blow and keep the damage to a minimum. But it doesn't seem like I'll make it in time.
Just then, with me unable to avoid it, a figure pushed me away.
Master pushed me out of its path, and took the girl's fist in his side.
While coughing up blood, Master collapses to the ground.
The girl mutters carelessly, like it's someone else's problem. It sounds kind of distant too.
Even if I tried to run over, the girl there wouldn't allow it.
If I got close without thinking first, I'd get taken down by the counterattack. I know it.
Seeing me unable to move, the girl stepped on Master's head, and continued speaking.
—The hell are you doing, punk?
Blood rushed to my head at the sight. Something important to me is, quite literally, being stepped on.
I can feel all sorts of limiters in my brain being removed.
—Don't go around… Stepping on my Master!
Relying on my anger, I let everything explode.
Her counterattack? I don't give a damn!
I apply "Magic Power Bestowal" to my right leg, and put everything into ramming her.
Even the girl showed surprise at the speed.
Leading with my left shoulder, I ram into the girl, taking her into a roll on the ground.
The shoulder I struck with ripped wide open and bled. But I have no time to worry about that right now.
Straddling the girl, I recklessly strike with my fists. With "Magic Power Bestowal" infused, deadly fists.
But she dodges and handles the fist strikes like they're nothing.
This is a dangerous opponent. My instincts are telling me that.
The moment I tried to strengthen my offensive, my vision spun.
Before I knew it, I was rolling somewhere several meters away from the girl.
While knocking the dust from her clothes, the girl stands back up.
With Master being safe, I abruptly got fired up.
Though I may be serving him so he'll release me from slavery, I don't want him getting hurt too much.
And then the girl's voice hits me like ice water.
The girl kicks off the ground, and leaps into the air. Her body didn't fall back down, but instead flew high up… And then swelled up and exploded outward.
There appeared, sporting gigantic wings, the form of a black dragon.
At full length the body was probably more than thirty meters. It floated in the sky as if ignoring gravity.
There are a lot of things I couldn't comprehend at first.
For starters, that a dragon suddenly appeared right in front of me.
And then, that the girl's voice came from the dragon.
Moreover, that the dragon is the demon dragon, Fafnir.
And the finisher, that Fafnir is part of the god of destruction's family.
So you're just a battle freak?! While rebutting the dragon in my mind, I leap to the side.
Where I jumped from was swept in a flash of breath.
The ground there melted down, becoming lava… That's some ridiculous heat.
Even while talking, the breath attacks continued to be spat out.
Luckily the breath seems to be formed with magic; I can sense the magic power's flow before the attack comes.
That said, if I keep running along the ground like this, it's hard to know when a stray attack will fly toward the carriages.
Between dodges I spread out my wings, and also fly into the air.
The ground has lava pools in a few places.
We probably won't see grass coming back to any of the areas that have turned glassy.
It's at the level of environmental destruction, and this is restrained…?
I draw the sword from my back, as it would get in the way of my wings, and slash while rolling past the breaths.
With agility unthinkable for its massive body, Fafnir dodged the slices.
I go in close, and this time get attacked by Fafnir's claws, but I have the advantage in finer movements so I easily evade.
Many times over, whenever I'm far away the breath comes, close in and I have to dodge the claws, it dodges or stops my sword slashes, and it all repeats.
And then, after some time, the settling difference between us showed through—stamina.
I wipe away the sweat dripping down my forehead with the back of my hand. If it gets in my eyes… Especially if it gets in my left eye, it would be fatal.
Flying isn't even what's using my stamina; I fly using magic, so it's not what's wearing me out.
But processing everything around me is putting my brain at its limits.
It's not hard to tell… I won't hold out much longer.
I've taken a lot of distance, so it can't even use its breath right now. Instead it flaps its wings and comes in a fierce pursuit.
Taking advantage of my advantage in maneuvering, I somehow manage to keep my distance though.
Its power is at least one, maybe two or three orders of magnitude higher.
Taking a more powerful opponent head-on is just insane.
To win I would have to take it by surprise, and create an opening.
I look around. It's a clear, cloudless sky; there's no way to spring a surprise attack.
Even if I want to fight with something it doesn't have, all I've got is… Tight maneuvering, agility, a small body, and then my gifts.
I thought of one possibility.
But I don't know whether I can do it or not. I'll be doing it without practice… But with the situation just getting worse, I can't think of any other option.
I shout desperately, and flip around.
Perhaps determining I had charged with abandon, Fafnir opens its mouth wide for a direct breath attack.
This time I don't take evasive maneuvers, continuing to fly directly at it.
A roar, and even the air burns as the bright breath stretches forward.
And pull the 'breath' into my "Dimensional Storage".
Fafnir shows surprise once again in this battle.
Based on our conversation so far, I can tell it doesn't know about this gift.
Nor that my left arm has resistance to high heat. If this was my human right arm, it would have been burned off before I could do anything.
And then I got in as close as I could, made the 'breath' I took in reappear, and hit Fafnir with it.
Leaving a kind of idiotic shout behind, Fafnir hit the ground because of its own breath.
The demon dragon seemed to have passed out, as it didn't move for a bit.
I shakily approached Fafnir… And just then the demon dragon opened its eyes.
I jump back several meters and remain vigilant.
However, the demon dragon changed back to its girl form in an instant, and cheerfully spoke.
I can't feel the slightest intent to fight anymore. My instincts aren't suggesting there's any danger either.
To be honest, from the sudden challenge, I don't want to let it go with a simple "you got me".
But I'm already at my limit. If I suggested, 'hey, why not fight to the death?' or something right now, I would definitely be the one dying.
It pisses me off, but pulling back is the best plan right now.
She switched from giant dragon size to a little girl, so of course she wasn't wearing any clothes.
Having gotten caught up in the fight, Master was hiding nearby, so of course he's watching. Lecher.
I took my own change of clothes out of "Dimensional Storage" and tossed them at her.
What can I say? I couldn't stand her displaying herself naked in front of Master.
While wiggling the clothes on, the demon dragon explained her circumstances. It's probably a kind of weird sight.
Do I have to give it all back? I mean, the original owner appeared, so I know I have to return it.
But… I'm not completely satisfied. Especially because of the huge injury Master took.
Finished with changing, she crosses her arms and nods firmly.
I've never heard about that. Why we would purposely live on an inconvenient and dangerous mountain is something I found strange though.
Like at Sokaris, living a little closer to the city and commuting to the mountains would have definitely been more convenient.
What the hell are you teaching her, god of destruction? I felt a slight desire to murder her.
The demon dragon gives a sharp salute.
And so our traveling companions grew in number I guess?
Author's Note: You probably thought 'it's obviously Yuuri', but she's a little too all-powerful, and things would have played out without all this trouble.
Also, the next chapter will close out this volume.
Yig, no, bad dragon, bad.
2) "Battles begin when one side decides it has begun! So said my lord." Did Yuuri really say that? I can't remember.
4) So the village Eir was living in originated from that cottage Yuuri used to live in?
4)Mareba village always was there, even before Yuuri.
5)She never said she'll kill herself, just that she didn't know what to do after living for too long. And she didn't live for that long. She lived for about age where would be the oldest humans. No even close to avarage long living race livespan.
Anyway, I've finished my fanart of Eir, check it at the link below. Hope you guys like it.
May I put this link in the Table of Contents?
Looks like now Eri has gained a little sister.