Chapter 36: If This Is the Final Battle, Then Let Us Win Easily!

The "Demon Dragon" looming before us was absolutely colossal.

What came to mind was the size of a massive baseball dome. Its head and wings pierced through what would’ve been the ceiling.

It had no limbs.

Instead, pipes—tube-like extensions—jutted out from all over its body.

They continuously expelled miasma, like exhaust spewing from an engine.

Bathed in the toxic haze, the "Demon Dragon" looked up toward the sky. Its form was distorted and grotesque—yet strangely majestic.

"That’s… the 'Demon Dragon'...?"

Karen murmured.

"Yeah. We’re the ones who’ll take it down."

It was probably just someone speaking their thoughts aloud—but I answered anyway.

Oddly enough, it didn’t feel awkward.

"I’m going in first! Me, me~!"

Rizel declared with a wide, toothy grin.

"Well, when it comes to speed, you’re top tier. Perfect for the job."

Myudy unsheathed her longblade and took a stance.

Yuto was standing by a bit farther from the frontlines.

According to Myudy, the range between her and the "Saintess" didn’t significantly impact her ability to unleash power.

Of course, if she was too far, that’d be a problem—but from this distance, it was fine.

"Alright, let’s go!"

I shouted boldly.

We will win. We’ll win—and then—!

"Here I go! Wisdom, grant your protection to these warriors! [Protective Armor: Defense Boost]!"

Karen’s chant rang out first.

A defensive spell to reinforce our guard. Our bodies were wrapped in light, which gradually faded away.

It would surely repel attacks from mid-tier monsters—but whether it could stand up to the Demon Dragon was unknown. Still, it was worth casting.

"Time to gooo~! Super ultra max serious mode! Full Beast Transformation: All-Beast Mode!"

Just like before, Rizel conjured a magical moon with her mana.

But this time, it wasn’t a half-beast form. It was full beastification. Her silver hair turned to fur, and a silver wolf was born.

Apparently, she’d sealed off this form before because it drained her strength too fast.

But after training with Myudy, she’d finally reached the point where she could use it reliably in battle.

"Chaaaaaaarge!"

A silver gale tore across the battlefield as Rizel launched herself toward the Demon Dragon.

Noticing the approach, the Demon Dragon roared.

A grating sound, like a groan rising from the depths of the earth.

In response, several tentacles emerged from the miasma.

They surged toward her all at once to intercept the intruder—but they were too slow.

They couldn’t catch her. She dodged them all with ease.

"Let’s go too!"

I called out to Myudy and followed after Rizel.

"You didn’t even have to say it."

We weren’t as fast as Rizel, but we were still quick.

Pushing through the tentacles, we closed in on the Demon Dragon. Any we couldn’t avoid, we slashed apart with our weapons.

"If anyone gets injured, I’ll heal you! Don’t push yourselves too hard!"

Karen shouted behind us.

She was waiting outside the tentacle zone, on standby.

"Awooooooo!"

Rizel, fully beastified and no longer capable of human speech, sank her fangs into the Demon Dragon.

But a metallic clang rang out.

She was blocked by a barrier.

"It’s blocking physical attacks too?!"

"Shallow hits won’t cut it…!"

Then—!

I poured mana into Galatine, igniting it with flame, and sprinted forward.

"I’ll give you a foothold—Jump!"

Myudy shouted, casting the spell [Earth Wall].

It was a spell meant for defense, but it could also be used to create platforms for allies—a handy technique.

I jumped onto it just as—

"Grow—! [Increase]!"

Another spell followed.

A type of enhancement magic that altered the size of inorganic materials.

The wall expanded rapidly—getting larger and larger.

Until it reached the Demon Dragon’s face—

"Take thiiiiiiiiis!"

I swung Galatine with all my strength.

The fire surrounding it was the result of infused mana, but it was still Galatine—the blade itself.

It shattered the barrier with ease and sliced toward the Demon Dragon’s neck.

With all my might, I brought it down—!

"――――!"

The Demon Dragon screamed.

Its head remained attached by only a thin strip of flesh, as thick, black blood gushed from the wound like a fountain.

—We can do this. At this rate, we’ve got it!

I was about to follow up with another attack—

But then realized.

It wasn’t blood.

It was miasma.

The outpouring of miasma wouldn’t stop.

It surged toward the severed neck—and began to solidify.

What now stood before us… was the Demon Dragon, reborn with two heads.

“…You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

"――――!"

Both heads roared in unison.

Naturally, the volume was doubled.

I instinctively flinched under the pressure—but quickly forced myself to refocus.

“Damn it! Don’t let up!”

Myudy shouted, reprimanding us—but blood was seeping from her shoulder.

She must’ve taken a hit from a tentacle while casting her spell.

At some point, I’d taken a strike to the cheek too.

Blood was running, but the wound was shallow.

I waved Karen off when she tried to heal me, choosing to stay alert instead.

In the meantime, Karen wasted no time chanting another healing spell.

“You’re good to go! It’s healed!”

At her call, we all started moving again.

This time, it was Rizel who struck.

Pushing her speed to the limit, she tore into the beast’s torso with fangs and claws.

And again—miasma erupted.

Then took shape… into a third head.

“Kyu~uun...!”

Even Rizel let out a confused whimper.

No matter how much damage we did, none of it was fatal. On the contrary—the enemy was multiplying.

“Should we fall back…?”

The sheer hopelessness almost broke me. For a moment, I caught myself looking for a way out.

“It’s pointless.”

Myudy spoke while surveying our surroundings.

“Look—we’re surrounded.”

Tentacles encircled us on all sides.

We could probably break through them—but the moment we turned our backs, the Demon Dragon would strike.

Thankfully, it didn’t react unless we approached.

It was a battlefield designed by the Demon Dragon itself—one where escape wasn’t an option.

“Damn it… So we’ve got no choice but to fight!”

I gripped Galatine tighter.

…If only I could trigger “Power Unleashing.” If I could just do that—we could win. Clinging to that single thread of hope—

“UOOOOOOH!”

I roared, trying to rekindle my fading fighting spirit.

Then together with Rizel and Myudy—we charged!

“Hah… hahaha…”

A dry laugh escaped me.

After countless slashes, the Demon Dragon’s neck had split into eight.

It now looked like a twisted version of the Yamata-no-Orochi from our legends.

My arm hung limp at my side.

My mana was completely drained, and Galatine had reverted to its original blade.

I was still alive—barely—but completely spent.

Myudy had also lost the strength to swing her longblade and was using it like a staff just to stay upright.

Rizel had reverted to human form—now wearing nothing but a cloak.

Karen had used up all her mana healing us again and again.

None of us could take even a single step. The situation was dire.

“…‘Power Unleashing’… never happened.”

So much for “when the time comes.”

I never heard that voice in my head, not even once.

It was my own failure—I couldn’t trigger it. I knew it wasn’t something to complain about.

Still, I muttered bitterly.

“What the hell did she mean by ‘you’ll definitely win’...?”

The goddess—she was definitely guilty.

There was no winning this. This was fraud, plain and simple. She even said it would be over in an instant.

“No—it will happen. ‘Power Unleashing’ will trigger. And you will win.”

The one who appeared in front of me—almost drifting—

“…Yuto…?”

—was the very girl who feared blood and avoided battle.