Volume 8
Chapter 12
In a vision as blurry as fog, Nozomu saw the scene.
Giant hailstones,
raining down from the sky, swallowed and destroyed a small town on the ground.
They pierced roofs,
pulverized earthen walls, collapsed houses, and struck down the people who were
running around screaming.
It was a common sight
in this land. However, for the small, powerless humans, it was a death-bringing
disaster.
An existence appeared,
desperately trying to protect the town that had fallen into such a crisis.
A body clad in
jet-black scales. One of the species that stood at the pinnacle of those with
fleshly bodies, possessing immense power, the black dragon Tiamat.
She covered the town
with the power of darkness hidden within her and began to protect the helpless
people from the army of hailing hailstones.
Seeing the figure of
their Lord who
had come to save them, the people raised their voices in relief, joy, and
praise.
However, for some
reason, the black dragon's expression was not good. Because she alone, although
she could block the hail, could not stop it.
She was a black
dragon. She could not directly manipulate the spirits of water or wind. She had
no choice but to endure until the hail subsided.
A lonely battle.
She was shunned even
by her own kind. And there were no dragons who would actively involve
themselves in the buffer zone, and there were no fellow dragons who would agree
with her intention to help the humans.
Furthermore, to make
matters worse, the elemental essence of water that covered the sky had further
increased in concentration.
The hailing hailstones
gradually increased in size, and an even more intense impact began to run
through the barrier of darkness.
Tiamat's power was
also not infinite. If the elemental essence of water that covered the heavens
were to surpass her power, the humans below would surely have their lives taken
by the blade of nature.
Tiamat began to pour
even more power into the barrier.
A battle of attrition
with no end in sight.
The hailing
hailstones, like insects devouring a young leaf, were eroding her heart and
stirring up the sense of powerlessness and complex that nested in her heart.
"Still,
I...!"
Even if she were
tormented by a sense of powerlessness, even if her heart was on the verge of
breaking, she did not want to give up.
Below her were many
humans who were looking up at her while praying.
The existence she had
wanted to protect for the first time. Those who, due to their fragility, could
understand the feelings of others, their pain.
While burning with a
sense of responsibility and duty in her heart, and above all, a strong feeling
of affection, she looked up at the heavens.
"O spirit
of water. Unravel the frozen bodies of my brethren and turn them into drops of
life."
At that moment, a
dignified and pure voice echoed in the air.
In an instant, the
clouds that had been covering the heavens cleared, and the sun showed its face.
And, while bathing in
the light of the shining sun, a blue dragon appeared.
"Orr! You
came!"
"Yes, I heard
from Michael. It seems you're lending a hand in quite a difficult matter."
At the sight of her
rushed-over friend, Tiamat raised a voice of joy. The sense of powerlessness
that had been eroding the depths of her chest was no longer felt.
***
"Hey! Brat, what
are you spacing out for!"
"Uwah!"
Zonne's scolding
echoed through the forest.
The day after the
dance lesson at Irisdina's mansion, Nozomu had asked Zonne and had been
training since early in the morning.
However, because his
consciousness had been drawn to the scene that had floated in his head, he had
ended up receiving a roar from Zonne.
The scene that had
just crossed Nozomu's mind was a scene he had seen in his dream last night.
It was probably
related to Tiamat's past.
Perhaps because he had
received Michael from Shina, he felt as if he had touched Tiamat's emotions
more deeply and directly than before.
"Even though I
gave you a day off, what is the meaning of you spacing out? Concentrate
properly!"
"A-ah. My
bad."
Nozomu switched his
consciousness and focused on his training.
He could think about
the dream he had seen this morning later. For now, it was necessary to
concentrate all his nerves on this training.
"Phew..."
He regulated his
breathing and released the Soul-Sealing Chains.
At the same time, a
torrent of ki overflowed. While feeling the raging power within his body,
Nozomu focused his consciousness on the inside and outside of his body at the
same time.
From the depths of
himself, from the abyss, a five-colored elemental essence leaked out.
A torrent of power as
messy as if paint had been thrown, and as merciless as a tornado, was rampaging
with Tiamat's hatred, trying to tear through Nozomu's body.
Furthermore, the
surrounding spirits, who had been hit by the overflowing ki, at once began to
make a fuss and were fleeing from this place as if they were the first to go.
Nozomu's pupils were
for a moment directed at the fleeing spirits.
"Oh..."
Perhaps having noticed
that Nozomu was sensing the spirits, Zonne raised his voice in admiration.
On the other hand,
Nozomu, while desperately trying to control Tiamat's power, was at his limit. A
waterfall of cold sweat was flowing down his entire body, and with a cracking
sound, his skin was tearing.
The time he could keep
it released was not much different from the last time.
However, there was
progress. As if he were satisfied to some extent, Zonne nodded.
"Brat, that's
enough. It's about time..."
"Guuh, gah!"
Suddenly, Nozomu
vomited blood. He had tried to continue to release his power, stepping over his
current limit.
The randomly released
power carved further wounds on Nozomu's body and swirled around, scattering the
gushed-out blood.
The wide-eyed Zonne
hurriedly held out his hand, and the released white light began to suppress the
leaked power of Tiamat.
"! What are you
doing! Stop it quickly!"
"Gu, guuuh...
gah!"
The invisible chains
wrapped around Nozomu's body, and the power that had been flowing like a muddy
stream subsided. At the same time, Nozomu fell to his knees as if to collapse
powerlessly.
"Hah, hah,
hah..."
"What are you
doing! Are you trying to die!"
"I'm sor... ry...
I thought I could go a little further..."
"You fool! I told
you before, didn't I! That neither spirit magic nor the control of a unique
ability is something that can be done overnight! If you carelessly rush things
and lose your footing, you'll be on your way to the next world!"
While healing the
wounds of the breathless Nozomu, Zonne raised his voice and berated the
reckless boy.
One wrong step, and
the matter would not end with just the boy's life. If Tiamat were to be
revived, Arcazam would surely collapse, and the neighboring countries would not
get away unscathed.
Perhaps Nozomu also understood
that well, as while looking apologetic, he was quietly receiving Zonne's
treatment.
"Hah... So, it
seems you've become able to sense the spirits. So, how does it feel?"
"I understand it
even less..."
Nozomu himself could
not express it in any other way.
The hatred and
resentment of Tiamat, which he had come to feel more than ever, was as
bottomless as a bottomless swamp, and the elemental essence he could sense was
a mess, and as always, there was no sign at all that he could completely
control it.
"Hmm, well, his
power can be said to be chaos itself. But it's gotten a little better. Since it
seems you've become able to sense the spirits."
"...Eh?"
"I told you
before, didn't I? To control a power, you must face and know the source of the
power and yourself. In that sense, regardless of the degree, the method is not
wrong. You should thank the elf young lady."
At the name Zonne had
mentioned, Nozomu's eyes widened.
"Why, what does Shina
have to do with it..."
"You've heard
from her that I had asked you to hand over Michael, haven't you? At that time,
when I spoke of you, she seemed to be lost in thought."
With a smile on his
lips as if to say, "I got you!", Zonne looked down at Nozomu, who
could not hide his surprise.
On the other hand,
Nozomu was on pins and needles.
What came to mind was
the alluring figure of the girl who had exposed her pure naked body under the
moonlight. Before he knew it, Nozomu, while trying not to let the heat that was
welling up from the depths of his body show on his face, was glaring at Zonne.
"..."
"Don't look at me
with such a suspicious look. I have an idea about the ritual she performed on
you, but I don't know how she did it."
Since the only element
to establish the Ritual of the Blood Pact was to mix the flowing blood, even if
Zonne had guessed that Shina had performed the Ritual of the Blood Pact with
Nozomu, he did not know how that ritual had been performed.
However, at the smile
that appeared on Zonne's lips, Nozomu could not wipe away his suspicion.
"Is that really
true?"
"Yes, it's true.
Of course, from the looks of your face, which is as red as a boiled octopus, it
seems you had something quite stimulating and charming done to you."
"Wha! You old
geezer!"
His shame stimulated
at once, Nozomu couldn't help but raise his voice.
Zonne, with a devilish
grin plastered on his face, quickly waved his hand and deployed a formula.
"Ho, ho, ho!
That's all for today's training! Farewell~~!"
"You pervy
dragon! I'll remember this!"
Along with a line that
was like he was making a fool of him, Zonne activated his transfer magic. A
torrent of light that welled up from his feet enveloped Nozomu's body and
transferred him from the forest to the academy in an instant.
When the light
subsided, Nozomu was already standing in the basement of the academy's Martial
Arts Garden.
Nozomu, who was sent
to the dim basement in an instant, repeated deep breaths to calm his agitated
heart.
"...Seriously,
that old man is really a problem."
Nozomu, who had
finally calmed down, shouldered the luggage that had been placed nearby while
sighing.
While proceeding down
the entrance that led outside, Nozomu dropped his gaze to his palm.
The wound on his fingertip.
While looking at the mark where Shina had performed the Ritual of the Blood
Pact, he recalled today's training.
"One step
forward, but still..."
Thanks to Shina, he
was able to sense the spirits. As a result, he became able to sense Tiamat's
power more delicately.
In just one day, it
could be called a more than sufficient result. But the control time, which
showed no sign of improving at all, made Nozomu feel not joy, but impatience.
The reddish-black scab
that was closing the wound on his index finger. The color of that rusted iron
reminded him of Irisdina's blood-stained rapier.
Before he knew it,
Nozomu was clenching his fist tightly.
"Not yet. The
road is long..."
Nozomu, who had come
out of the entrance, frowned at the bright sunlight, but he turned his feet
towards his classroom. The start of class was approaching.
"I've
taken one step forward. For now, I'll be satisfied with that."
He switched his
feelings and, after taking a deep breath to calm the impatience in his chest,
he relaxed the strength in his clenched fist. However, from the scar on his
clenched fist, a single drop of blood was dripping.
As if to represent his
impatience.
***
Zonne, who had sent
Nozomu back, was lost in thought, remembering the training from just before.
"Good grief, this
might be bad..."
Although he was
supposed to have let him rest and calm down, it had ended up stirring up
Nozomu's impatience even more.
Until now, Nozomu had
never continued to release his power beyond the limit indicated by his own danger-sensing
ability.
He began to wonder if
it had been a mistake to leave it to Irisdina and the others, but there was no
one else to whom Nozomu Bountis had opened his heart.
"I can't take my
eyes off him for a moment..."
He couldn't let his
guard down. Zonne, who had been watching over Nozomu's training, telling
himself that from the beginning. But he was beginning to think that he needed
to take further measures.
"I'll probably be
at my limit alone. I might need to tell Jihad-dono and the others and come to
an agreement..."
Muttering that, Zonne
turned on his heel and stepped deep into the forest.
He did this based on
the idea that every possible move must be made, and in order to confirm the
measures he himself had put in place.
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